South Africa won the bid to host the 2010 FIFA WORLD CUP on 15th May 2004. This was a first tournament on African soil. The hosting accorded South Africa the opportunity to utilize the event to accelerate key development projects, thus creating a lasting legacy for South Africa in particular and the continent in general. When South Africa launched its bid in 2003 to host the tournament, the emphasis was on showcasing the 2010 World Cup as an African event, thus instilling a sense of confidence and spreading prosperity across the continent. This idea found express resonance with the slogan ‘Africa’s time has come’. The hosting of the 2010 FIFA World Cup was supportive to the infrastructure objectives of government as defined in the country’s developmental agenda. The infrastructure delivery experience from the World Cup has become one of the invaluable assets for infrastructure development in the African Continent; a key message that underpinned the bidding process. Government’s decision to invest in the tournament, as a catalyst for the provision of infrastructure created opportunities that cushioned South Africa against the impact of the global economic recession. The successful staging of the tournament also enhanced South Africa’s image internationally as having the capability to handle mega international events. South Africa hosted a successful World Cup and had the third highest aggregate attendance after the USA and Germany with 3 million people attending 64 matches. South Africa also attained a record fan park attendance. More than 1, 4 million people were passed through the country’s border posts during the World Cup. FIFA remarked that South Africa was the best World Cup host ever with regards to hospitality. In managing the World Cup, the country demonstrated high standard project management approaches that are now being incorporated into the government’s outcomes approach of performance management. These approaches produced infrastructure within FIFA specified times and standards to make the country ready for the hosting of the tournament. South Africa demonstrated infrastructure capability that can attract foreign direct investment. During the World Cup, the country spent about R 3 billion on transport, telecommunication and stadia. It is further estimated that the tournament has added between 0, 4%-1 % into the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). These investments have increased job opportunities associated with the World Cup. The World Cup provided the best public relations opportunity for South Africa as an investment destination. It also redefined the service delivery approach for South Africa. The key lessons and benefits that emerged from the World Cup included but not limited to; · integration of the criminal justice system to fast track case management through the ‘World Cup courts’ model that provided swift justice · changed public perception on public transport as a result of the non-racial use of all modes of transport ferrying people to and from World Cup match venues and fan parks · an introduction through the movement of World Cup related fans of integrated public transport system that 63