Center Line Soccer

• South Africa’s KickOff.com reports that Holland and Australia will use the training facilities and practice grounds of Bidvest Wits, a Premier Soccer League side from Johannesburg also known as Wits University FC. Local angle: Legendary Glasgow Rangers defender Richard Gough, who spent a season with the San Jose Clash in 1999, began his career at Wits. (Speaking of former MLS players, Hristo Stoichkov is now managing Gauteng province side Mamelodi Sundowns.) 

• We noted last week that the new Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium hosted the Soweto derby between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs. We didn’t know this, though: a new Guinness World Record was set for the most people blowing vuvuzelas at a football match. The number to beat is now 12,511 horns blown simultaneously.

• Municipal authorities in the city of Durban, a World Cup host city, have begun steps to acquire and demolish the beachfront XL Restaurant as part of a $12.6 million plan to create an oceanfront Fan Park for next year’s tournament and “to improve Durban’s beach experience.”

• Durban’s new venue, the 70,000-seat Moses Mabhida Stadium, is almost 70 percent complete and “is expected to be finished in November, way ahead of schedule” reports the Sowetan.  South Africa President Jacob Zuma inspected the facility last Saturday.

• Speaking of Durban, Emirates Airlines will begin daily flights to the coastal city on October 1.

• The World Health Organization (WHO) is consulting with South African officials on contingency plans concerning the potential for a swine flu outbreak at the World Cup.

• After utilizing nearly 47,000 members of the South African Police Service reserves during the recently concluded Confederations Cup, South Africa’s ministry of police is planning on making even greater use of reserves for next year’s tournament.

• Over 15,000 applications have already been received for volunteer positions at the World Cup. The most popular host city so far is Johannesburg, the target of over 5,000 applicants.

• Approximately 50,000 people participated  in last weekend’s Discovery 702 Walk the Talk, a fundraising walk that took place in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg. Jo’burg Mayor Amos Masondo saw the turnout as a positive sign for next year’s tournament. “It adds momentum and we see it as part of the build up towards 2010 World Cup next year,” he told EyeWitness News. “We will do everything in our power to ensure that the World Cup becomes the best organized event in the world.”

• The mayor isn’t the only one who’s optimistic about the World Cup in Jo’burg.  Area tourist attractions including the Apartheid Museum and the Cradle of Humankind are anticipating increased traffic as well, reports BusinessDay.

• South Africa’s students will be pleased to hear that their winter break has been expanded by one week, which means that when the World Cup is on, school is out.

• Finally, as the entire country looks forward to next year’s tournament, there’s talk of pursuing another sporting prize: the 2020 Olympics.

Jay Hipps is Center Line Soccer’s managing editor. Follow him on Twitter at jayhipps.