South Africa draw 1 - 1 with Brazil in opening game of the 2010 World Cup . South Africa is the first African nation to host the 80-year - old tournament . 32 nations competing for glory ; Brazil , Spain the favorites . An estimated global audience of hundreds of millions watched as the home side 's Siphiwe Tshabalala crashed home the first goal of the tournament early in the second half to send Johannesburg 's Soccer City stadium into ecstatic celebrations . Fan : ` ` The World Cup is inside us . We are eating , sleeping and feeling it . ''
South Africa draw 1 - 1 with Brazil in opening game of the 2010 World Cup . South Africa is the first African nation to host the 80-year - old tournament . 32 nations competing for glory ; Brazil , Spain the favorites . Fan : ` ` The World Cup is inside us . We are eating , sleeping and feeling it . ''