South Africa could stage Premier league match (From Daily Echo)

South Africa could stage Premier league match

12:29pm Thursday 14th February 2008 in Terry Paine

THERE is no doubt that South Africa will be ready to host a Premiership match by 2010.

As the hosts of the next World Cup, the stadia out here will be more than capable of welcoming the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal during the 2010-11 season.

The FNB Stadium in Johannesburg has a capacity of 78,000 and the nine other World Cup stadiums are going to hold at least 42,000 so there would be no problem in hosting a Premiership game if this week's proposals by the Premier League were to go through.

With the experience of hosting the 2010 World Cup behind them, the South African Football Association would have no qualms about bidding for the right for a Premiership match, with Johannesburg the likely host city.

As a football presenter on the South African football show MNet Supersport, I have seen the popularity of the Premiership increase by the season.

There is already a big Manchester United supporters' club in South Africa and Liverpool, Arsenal Chelsea, Spurs and West Ham are also very popular.

The news that Premiership football could be on its way to South Africa caught me totally by surprise this week but despite the excitement generated at the prospect of watching English football in my adopted city I do have some misgivings.

To read more of Terry's opinions, see The Pink, every weekend.