Hong Kong soccer fans will have a once-in-a-lifetime chance to meet the legendary Pelé (real name Edison “Edson” Arantes do Nascimento) when he arrives in town this weekend on a goodwill visit as part of the 2011 New York Cosmos Asia Tour.

Pele played for the legendary New York Cosmos from 1975-77 and took the club to worldwide success, transforming the soccer landscape in America in a way that is still remembered by fans today – all over the globe.

The Brazilian icon – widely recognised as the game’s all-time greatest player – will be overseeing a coaching clinic for kids, giving inspirational talks and meeting business leaders as Honorary President of the newly revived New York Cosmos.

In his role with the Cosmos, he will help re-establish the club and carry on its tradition of greatness for the next generation of young athletes as well as help the Cosmos prepare for their return as a professional team.

“I know Hong Kong fans are hugely interested in soccer and I’m looking forward to meeting them and sharing their passion for the beautiful game,” said the three-time World Cup winner.

“I’m especially relishing the chance to work with aspiring young players and hopefully pass on some knowledge about what it takes to achieve your goals, whether in soccer or in life.”

Pelé, together with senior New York Cosmos executives Paul Kemsley (Chairman) and Terry Byrne (Vice Chairman), will arrive in Hong Kong on Sunday (6 March) for three nights after first stopping in Singapore.

A highlight of his visit will come on Tuesday when he addresses a VIP lunch organised by the American Chamber of Commerce at the Renaissance Harbour View Hotel in Wanchai.

Pelé will share the rebirth and rebuilding of the Cosmos with an exclusive audience of business leaders and media, while also discussing the impact of sports on education and philanthropy.

He will then visit Hong Kong Football Club to motivate and inspire young players involved in soccer across the local and expatriate community – in addition to meeting the HKFC Crusaders, a programme for players with special needs that is backed by Prudential.

After his final career match on 1 October 1977, in a speech given to more than 75,000 fans, Pele urged his audience to pay attention to the youth of the world. Today, as global ambassador for the game, he reinforces that message to fans and kids during his Hong Kong visit.

The 2011 New York Cosmos Asia Tour is aimed at spreading goodwill through sport, developing young talent and building global partnerships.

“We are seeing in both Singapore and Hong Kong a significant commitment by organisations and individuals of many levels to develop young talent and the future of the sport,” said Kemsley. “This is very complementary to the mission of the New York Cosmos.

“We are excited to visit Asia to meet fans, players, partners, leaders and dignitaries – and to let everyone know that the New York Cosmos are back. We will continue to integrate Asia in all that we do, and look forward to returning to the region in the very near future.”

In addition to Pele, the New York Cosmos have also appointed Manchester United Player of the Century Eric Cantona as Director of Soccer and US soccer legend Cobi Jones as Associate Director of Soccer and Ambassador.

Currently the club operates a Cosmos Academy in both New York and Los Angeles featuring the US’s elite youth talent, it owns the CosmosCopa grassroots tournament that is entering its third year, and will be hosting a 40th Anniversary Celebration Match this summer featuring players from around the world invited by Pele to participate in an all-star competition.

The club’s ultimate vision is to field a professional team at the highest level in the United States, bringing championships back to New York City.

Last week we alerted readers in Hong Kong, and the rest of the world for that matter, about the online sale of the remainder of the tickets for this year’s Cathay Pacific/Credit Suisse Hong Kong Sevens.

After an initial pre-sale period to local Rugby Clubs, HKRFU Stakeholders and official Overseas Ticketing Agents, tickets for the HK Sevens went on sale online earlier today.

The Hong Kong Rugby Football Union subsequently announced that approximately 5,000 tickets, available for sale online, were snapped up by eager punter within about 1 hour.

Trevor Gregory, Chairman of the HKRFU, announced earlier last week:

“The HKRFU expects very strong demand for Sevens tickets in 2011 and like rugby fans around the world we look forward to another outstanding Cathay Pacific/Credit Suisse Hong Kong Sevens in March.”

Trevor Gregory (right) with former Springbok Marius Hurter in 2010

Here’s to yet another sell-out Cathay Pacific/Credit Suisse Hong Kong Sevens later this year!

Here are the BlitzBokke doing the march-past in 2009:

“Vinnige” Fanie De Villiers’ visit to Hong Kong this weekend will coincide with the 2010-edition of the Karp Group/PC Jeweller Hong Kong Cricket Sixes.  South Africa is of course the defending champions after a nail-bite finish against hosts Hong Kong in the Final last year.

The Southern African Association of Hong Kong will be hosting Fanie at a South African Braai (BBQ) at the Sportsman’s Bar at the Hong Kong Cricket Club in 137 Wong Nai Chung Gap Road, this Saturday.

Fanie played in 256 tests from 1993 to 1998 and 23 ODI’s from 1992 to 1997. Since retiring from Test Cricket, the former fast bowler has become a television commentator and also works as a motivational speaker.

South African cricket legend, Fanie De Villiers will be in Hong Kong this weekend.

The South African Sixes Team (read more about the 2010 team here) has been invited to join the braai after the first day’s play.

HK$250 gets you a great South African meal (Menu below), 2 hours of beer, wine and sodas as well as the company of some of our country’s great sportsmen, retired and up-and-coming.

Bruce Fowler has written tosay that the menu for the evening will consist of:

Braai

Selection of Boerewors on the Braai

Chicken Peri Peri Skewers on the Braai

Prawn and Vegetable Malay Curry

Braai Marinated Rib Eye Steaks

Bobotie (Lamb and Apricot Jam)

Yellow Fried Rice with Raisins

Pan Roasted Sweet Potato

Pita Bread served with Humus

Salad

Green Bean Salad with Olives, Sweet Onions

Tomato Salad with Green Chillies and Red Wine Vinegar

Yellow Melon Muscadel (Melon Salad)

Dessert

Malva Pudding

The evening starts at 7:00pm for 7:30pm and, as this is at the Hong Kong Cricket Club (HKCC) dress is smart casual. However, since many guests may come straight from the Sixes, the Club will make an exception and does not expect you to be smart casual after a day watching the Sixes.

Children are welcomed so please bring your family and friends. Reservations can be made by e-mailing Bruce Fowler (bfowler@pacific.net.hk) and letting him know how many of you will be attending.  Please respond as soon as possible if you wish to attend as the number of seats is limited.

Here are some images from last year’s tournament to get you in the mood:

If there was ever a prize for the most dedicated fans, the Dutch football supporters who followed their team around South Africa, will walk away with it.

In fact, they didn’t just follow their team around South Africa, they literally followed them around the world, taking an overland African trek all the way from the Netherlands to South Africa by car, truck, minibus and bus!

I am getting ready to watch the 2010 World Cup Final at my usual hang-out in Tsim Sha Tsui East and earlier this evening, I saw these equally dedicated Dutch fans near Sticky Fingers in TST East:

I speak under correction, but South Africa must surely be the only country in the world who has witnessed and experienced two national miracles in the space of only two decades.

In 1994, we witnessed and participated in our country’s first-ever democratic elections which heralded the handing over of minority political power without any large-scale violence and bloodshed.

On June 11, 2010 we witnessed the stunning Opening Ceremony of the world’s biggest sporting event.  The first ever event of its kind to be staged on African soil.  An event most believed South Africa was not capable of delivering.  It’s been just over 2 weeks and already pundits are cautiously calling it the grandest football gathering ever.  FIFA should be pleased because before a single ball was kicked, the world body was already assured of the biggest profit from a World Cup ever.

But that is not the 2010 miracle I am referring to.  The miracle is what is happening on the streets of South Africa at this very moment.  South Africans of all hues, backgrounds and persuasions are showing our proud colours; on our cars, on our homes, on our clothes.  In fact, we show our pride in every conceivable way we can.  We are proud to welcome visitors to our country, proud to host  this massive event for a world-wide audience of millions. 

Simply put: we have re-discovered our national identity and we’re celebrating it!

The 2010 World Cup has also given some of us an opportunity to showcase our creativity.  From the huge selection of multi-coloured Makarapa’s, beautifully decorated Vuvuzelas to the ingenious costumes worn to our beautiful new stadiums.

During a gathering to celebrate and to watch a broadcast of the 2010 Opening Ceremony at the Foreign Correspondents Club (FCC), using her handy iPhone, (name removed on request) read a poem that she had penned in honour of our national football team Bafana Bafana.

WOZA NKOSI

Bafana Bafana, your people are here

We’re proud of you Yellows, and shout a big cheer

Haaikona Group C, Haaikona Group D

Come face our Boys, their power you’ll see!

With love and with passion, vuvuzelas and drums

Makarabas and diski, the magic she comes…

Like an African Queen with fire in her heart

Ke nako, Ke nako, let doubts fall apart

The manna are waiting, the mamma’s are too

The kids on the street are all praising you

The flags they are flying, the spirit we got

The colours are bright, football fever is hot

Madiba is watching – FW too -

They’re longing and praying and counting on you

Gaan kry daardie rainbow, sit dit bo Tafelberg

Wys die res van die wereld, Suid Afrika’s sterk!

Only God has the power to hold you guys up

He helped us before, in the other world cup

He can do it again, let’s fall on our knees

With Ubaba’s support, success is a breeze

Woza woza, Nkosi, come take our hand

Woza lapa, Nkosi, please hold our land

Woza woza, Nkosi, Shosholoza our team

Woza lapa, Nkosi, God Bless Our Dream

For those not familiar with some of the South African-isms:

Woza Nkosi – Come God

Bafana Bafana – Boys Boys

Haaikona – No / By no means / No way

Vuvuzelas – Stadium blow horn

Makarabas – Miner’s hard hat, now decorated soccer fan hat

Diski – South African World Cup soccer dance

Ke nako, Ke nako – It’s time, it’s time

Madiba – Mr Nelson Mandela

FW – Mr FW de Klerk

‘Gaan kry daardie rainbow, sit dit bo Tafelberg, wys die res van die wereld Suid Afrika’s sterk !’ – Go get that rainbow, put it above Table Mountain, show the rest of the world that South Africa’s strong!

Ubaba – Father / God

Shosholoza – Move forward

Woza lapa Nkosi – Come here God

Here at Howzit-HongKong.com we make it our business to stay abreast of what’s going on in our fair city.  For this reason, we read a plethora of magazines and daily papers to stay abreast of things.

One of these magazines is Time Out Hong Kong. 

Although not free (you can buy it every fortnight at HK$18) Time Out Hong Kong is an excellent source of information on Hong Kong’s vibrant social life and it’s thousands of restaurants, bars and other interesting places/events to visit and hang out at.

As we are all in the spirit of the 2010 Football World Cup, Time Out Hong Kong refused to be left behind and has a interesting featuring in this week’s edition.  They have ”scoured the city” and found one local resident who hails from each of the 32 participating World Cup countries.

The South African representative and long-time Hong Konger is none other but Gary Kitching.

This is what Gary had to say:

“It is an immensely proud moment to be South African and African.  The negative commentary has made us even more determined to host the best World Cup ever.”

Well said Gary.  We love that you’re representing in a Springbok jersey!

(Gary is the MD and a partner of Grebstad Hicks Communications)

The 2010 World Cup feature that appears in the current edition of Time Out Hong Kong:

With one day to go before the big official Opening Ceremony of the 2010 World Cup as well as the first-ever World Cup game on African soil (South Africa vs. Mexico), the Soccer City stadium seems to be the picture of serenity, if these pictures are anything to go by (the pictures were taken this morning, Thursday June 10):

If you’re not attending the South African Consulate’s 2010 Opening Ceremony function at the Foreign Correspondents Club (FCC) tomorrow evening, remember that you can join the SA Association at Wooloomooloo in Wyndham Road (Lan Kwai Fong).  The Aussie-themed restaurant/bar will also screen the first game between Bafana Bafana and Mexico after the Opening Ceremony.

See you there!

Pictures, Cheers to Kia Motors SA on FaceBook, Kia Motors is an Official Sponsor of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa

With the 2010 Soccer World Cup just days away, visitors and television viewers will soon be gobsmacked at the scale and beauty of South Africa’s brand-new stadiums.

However, in a quiet (albeit only on non-match days) corner in the shadows of Table Mountain, stands what for me, is the Grande Dame of sports stadiums in the country: Newlands Rugby Stadium.  The country’s oldest stadium has always been a must-visit for me on every occasion that I visit home.  My annual trip to Cape Town often coincides with the Tri-Nations or Currie Cup tournaments so I always get to watch a Stormers or Western Province fixture.  I recently came across a great online feature that allows one to view all 360 degrees of the inside of Newlands stadium, on a match-day nogal!  At the risk of sounding like a gushing teenager…It was just too cool not to share.

Click here to open the 360 degrees viewer in a new window

With 33 days to go to the BIGGEST sports tournament in the world, excitement seems to be building up back home. 

Here in Hong Kong we are celebrating at the South African Festival, hosted by the Olympian City Mall where hundreds of HongKongers were taken through their Diski Dance paces.

Over the last 2 years, thousands of workers have been building 4 magnificent stadiums (others were revamped) that will proudly stand as a legacy to South Africa’s hosting of the World Cup, and what proud structures they are!

Our friends over at Zoopy.com put together this great video introduction to the 4 major stadiums that will host the majority of the World Cup games (below).

Cape Town: the new Cape Town Stadium, built to replace the old GreenPoint Stadium (where I used to work)

Johannesburg: 94,000 seater Soccer City will host the Opening & Closing Ceremonies.

Durban: the Moses Mabida Stadium has a stunning cable car ride across the stadium.

Port Elizabeth: the Nelson Mandela Stadium seats over 45,000 people.

Ke Nako! It’s Time!

Bring on South Africa 2010.

(Thanks for the great video Caryn)