Pretoria - The English national soccer team arrived at the OR Tambo International Airport this morning for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
The team, led by captain Rio Ferdinand, was rushed off to their base camp, the newly-built Royal Bafokeng Sports Campus holiday resort, which is situated near Sun City.
"It is a great privilege to be able to welcome England to our shores. England are one of the teams with a great FIFA World Cup tradition, with fanatical support wherever they play and at the World Cup in particular.
"Tickets for England matches have proved to be very popular and the Three Lions' participation in the tournament is sure to add a great deal to the character of the event," Local Organising Committee CEO, Dr Danny Jordaan said.
"I'm very pleased to be here and my team is happy to finally be in South Africa. I hope this World Cup in South Africa is good for this country and of course for England. We now have to concentrate on the tournament and prepare well for the event," England coach, Fabio Capello, told FIFA.com.
England will kick-off their World Cup campaign at Rustenburg's Royal Bafokeng Stadium against the United States on 12 June, before making their way to Cape Town to face Algeria on 18 June. Their final Group C Match will be against Slovenia in Nelson Mandela Bay on 23 June.
