Fifa gives 2010 staduims the green light

Port Elizabeth is still on the list to host the 2009 Confederations Cup

Port Elizabeth is still on the list to host the 2009 Confederations Cup, but under strict conditions.

All stadia will be heavily monitored, and should they fail to meet deadlines, they will be removed as a venue. “We will not disappoint,” says the mayor of Nelson Mandela Bay municipality, Nondumiso Maphaza.

FIFA and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) conducted a comprehensive inspection at the weekend and both parties are adamant that all venues should be finished on time. As a new stadium, PE has been given a March 2009 deadline, while the other four have until December to be ready.

They decided that Port Elizabeth should be given a chance to host the Confederations Cup. The windy city had lost hope after concerns were raised that its venue might not be ready.

The venue for the draw for the Confederations Cup will be announced at a later date.