The FIFA World Cup™ 2010 was the 19th edition of the tournament and the first ever held on African soil — a historic milestone for global football. South Africa hosted all 64 matches across 10 stadiums in 9 host cities, from June 11th through to the Final on July 11th at Soccer City in Johannesburg. The vuvuzela became the unmistakable soundtrack of this unique and celebrated edition.
Spain won the World Cup for the first time in their history, defeating the Netherlands 1–0 after extra time in the Final thanks to Andrés Iniesta's late goal — completing an extraordinary run of form that had seen them dominate possession-based football unlike any team in the tournament's history. It was also the year of Paul the Octopus, whose correctly predicted outcomes became one of the most viral stories in football history. David Villa finished as top scorer with 5 goals.
Group A
South Africa
Mexico
Uruguay
France
Group B
Argentina
Nigeria
South Korea
Greece
Group C
England
USA
Algeria
Slovenia
Group D
Germany
Australia
Serbia
Ghana
Group E
Netherlands
Denmark
Japan
Cameroon
Group F
Italy
Paraguay
New Zealand
Slovakia
Group G
Brazil- 🇰🇵 North Korea
Ivory Coast
Portugal
Group H
Spain
Switzerland
Honduras
Chile
Tournament Information
| Category | Information | Resources |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | June 11 – July 11, 2010 · 64 matches total | FIFA Official |
| Host | South Africa · 10 stadiums · 9 host cities — first World Cup held on African soil | |
| Group Stage | June 11 – June 25, 2010 · 48 group stage matches | |
| Winner | 🇪🇸 Spain — first World Cup title. Defeated Netherlands 1–0 AET in the Final at Soccer City, Johannesburg. | |
| Top Scorer | David Villa (Spain) — 5 goals, Golden Boot | |
| Best Player | Diego Forlán (Uruguay) — Golden Ball award | |
| Official Ball | Adidas™ Jabulani — Zulu for "celebrate". Its unpredictable flight path divided opinion among goalkeepers worldwide. |
The FIFA World Cup™ 2010 — Group Stage Special
South Africa 2010 was the tournament where our tradition of preparing dedicated Group Stage Special documents began. The first edition of what would become a long-running series — for every major international tournament since — covered all 48 Group Stage matches with our structured analysis, helping our audience navigate a tournament full of surprises from the very first game.
The document contains 96 carefully considered betting tips covering all 48 Group Stage matches — both 1X2 and O/U·BTS markets.
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