World Cup draw to map out familiar path

By Kevin Fylan

LONDON (Reuters) - Whatever surprises the draw for South Africa 2010 provides in Cape Town on December 4, the path to glory at the first African World Cup will be a familiar one.

FIFA's decision to take its prized asset outside Europe and the Americas for only the second time will make for a momentous event with organizers viewing the draw at the International Convention Center as the tournament's start.

While there will be a new and distinctly African flavor to the June 11-July 11 competition, with vuvuzela trumpets blaring from every venue, there is no such novelty in the 32-team line-up.

In contrast to the last World Cup in Germany in 2006, when there were four debutants from Africa alone, this time every one of the teams has prior experience, albeit in former guises in the case of one or two.

Among the nations being drawn in a ceremony that will be broadcast to hundreds of millions of TV viewers from the city famous for its Table Mountain will be all seven previous champions.

"Not only for South Africa but for the whole world this is the beginning of the World Cup," local organizing committee chief executive Danny Jordaan told Reuters in a recent interview.

"I think it's going to be a huge occasion. We've worked hard to produce a spectacular draw."

For the first time there are six African teams involved, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Cameroon, Algeria and the hosts, and they have all been here before.