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South Africa's role and participation in international football and Football World Cups is discussed from a historical and inevitably apartheid-based perspective.

Accordingly, the history of the World Cup and the tenuous position of African states in international football are discussed. This chapter reflects upon this process from a historical viewpoint, outlines the main actors involved and illustrates how this happened, whilst paying particular attention to the role played by South Africa. Behind the project for an African Football World Cup is a steady and concerted attempt by various protagonists – situated both within football's centre and on the periphery – to reconfigure the broader inequalities not only within the footballing world, but also between Africa and the developed world more generally. The 2010 World Cup hosted in Africa is therefore illustrative of a growing trend in the international governance of football to expand the game outwards from its traditional power bases (Europe and South America) in an attempt to further globalise the sport. It presents a historic opportunity to import the World Cup to areas on the periphery of world football and to further broaden the cultural, political and socioeconomic base of the game.

The FIFA 2010 Football World Cup hosted by South Africa will be the first World Cup to be held on African soil.