When FIFA's president Sepp Blatter visits the country later this month, "he will find us well on course with our preparations for both the Federations Cup in 2009 and the FIFA Soccer World Cup in 2010," he said.

"I have no doubt that our local organising committee, government at all levels and everybody concerned will do the necessary work to guarantee that we host a better tournament in 2010 than the excellent 2006 German World Cup," he added in a speech before parliament in Cape Town.

Mbeki quoted from a recent statement by Blatter that: "Plan A is South Africa, Plan B is South Africa and Plan C is South Africa".

Blatter has previously expressed doubt about the slow start of stadium construction for the tournament, the first time the world's biggest sporting event will be staged on African soil.