GREEN, yellow and red flags could soon be flying high in Buffalo City with news that Cameroon is considering using East London as its base camp for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™.

A delegation from the Cameroon Football Association (CFA) is expected in East London this week to see for themselves just what the city has to offer.

According to Buffalo City’s 2010 project manager, Roy Young, the municipality is thrilled at having the opportunity to host Cameroon, adding that even if Buffalo City does not get to host the team “they will still have ties in the future, thanks to the links made already”.

Early in November Buffalo City’s executive mayor Zukisa Faku, the director in the mayor’s office, Vuyo Zambodla, and Young met Cameroon’s sports minister and officials from the CFA in Yaounde.

The Buffalo City delegation had “a very good response”, according to Young.

“We gave a presentation to the Minister of Sport and the Cameroon Football Association technical committee, who will evaluate our proposal and who will then make recommendations for the [CFA] president to consider,” said Young.

“It looks very positive.”

Young added that he had just received an email confirming that the CFA would be sending a delegation to East London within the next two days “to see what we [Buffalo City] can offer them in terms of accommodation and playing facilities”.

The drive by Buffalo City to host one of the World Cup teams is supported by the province. Spokesperson Mzukisi Ndara said the province wanted to spread the benefits of the tournament across the Eastern Cape – to “spread the presence of the global showpiece”. Buffalo City and King Sabata Dalindyebo municipalities applied to become team base camps.

About the team
Known as the Indomitable Lions, the Cameroonian football team will make their sixth appearance at the 2010 World Cup.

Cameroon, coached by Paul le Guen and captained by Inter Milan striker Samuel Eto’o, is Africa’s top-rated side.

Le Guen has a Cup Winners’ medal under his belt (1996) and has represented his country, France, 17 times. During his professional career Le Guen played for Stade Brest, Nantes Atlantique and Paris St Germain.

Cameroon qualified for the World Cup in 1982, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2010 – more times than any other African team.

They were the first African team to reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup, in 1990, and have also won four African Nations cups, as well as a gold medal at the 2000 Olympics.

Cameroon played its first match against Somalia in 1960, winning 9-2.

The current squad includes Idriss Carlos Kameni, Benoit Assou-Ekotto, Nicolas N’Koulou, Rigobert Song, Aurelien Chedjou, Alexandre Song, Landry N’Guemo, Geremi, Samuel Eto’o, Achille Emana, Jean Makoun, Georges Mandjeck, Somen Tchoyi, Paul Alo’o Efoulou, Pierre Webó, Souleymanou Hamidou, Stephane Mbia, Eyong Enoh, Henri Bedimo, Sébastien Bassong, Gilles Binya, André Bikey, Daniel Ngom Kome and Albert Meyong.

Cameroon will be meeting the Netherlands, Denmark and Japan in the opening rounds in 2010.