What does the world (Cup) cost?

Plan, monitor and maintain realistic budgets, avoid risks: Long-term cost and revenue calculation as well as budget control are indispensable – especially in the football industry.

The project

The Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH (formerly: GTZ), on behalf of the Federal Republic of Germany, provided support to government partners in South Africa, the host country of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Between 2008 and 2010, HFP advised all government authorities and participating stakeholders at local level in the host cities. At the request of the local Organising Committee, we also acted as an intermediary between FIFA, the LOC, cities and stadiums.

The challenge

In the run-up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the South African government provided public funding to all venues and stadium operators as well as advice on the event contracts and their implementation.
A viable network of all project stakeholders at state level – from the government to the local Host City organisation – had not been set up and there was little to no existing expertise on contractual and event-related matters.

Our solution

Organise and implement various Host City and stadium workshops aimed at capacity-building among local partners for the World Cup
Support the government authorities in analysing and implementing the relevant host contracts and guarantees
Facilitate communication between FIFA/the LOC and the host cities and stadiums, which found themselves increasingly at odds, to ensure effective implementation of the 2010 FIFA World Cup

The result

With the help of HFP, the World Cup stakeholders at state and local level gained a clear understanding of the services that needed to be performed and a cost-efficient way to do so.
A viable network of all host cities was established, enabling them to cooperate successfully and closely for the first time.
Must-have components were effectively implemented, and costly or unnecessary nice-to-have features were dispensed with.