South Africa is planning to take direction from Germany and erect Fan Parks in every World Cup host city during 2010. Fan Parks (or Fan Fests as they are called in Germany) will give soccer fans, who can't get a ticket for the matches the chance to watch the games on big screens in a festive environment; for free.

CapeTownMagazine.com has launched the first 2010 World Cup Google Earth Map, with the best 2010 google earth locations, stadiums and 2010 Fan Park locations. Download it once, and it automatically updates when new locations are launched!

In Germany, Fan Parks were a great success and millions of fans flocked together for a month long party at one of 12 official Fan Parks during the World Cup. The public could watch the game with other fans from all over the world on giant screens, and also partake in a range of other festivities and fringe events.

Apart from watching the soccer matches, the Fan Parks also offered various other types of entertainment, with international DJ's and bands playing through the night, mini public soccer tournaments held in the streets, foosball championships, World-Cup themed plays being staged and much more.

Each host city also had a ‘Fan Embassy' where you could go to get your all your questions answered about the World Cup, Fan Parks, fringe events, host cities or anything else. All fans were helped in their native languages.

In Germany, these events weren't officially organised by FIFA or the Local Organising Committee - the host cities themselves were responsible for making the magic happen.

Cape Town is gearing up to follow suit with proposed 2010 Fan Parks including a main Cape Town Fan Park at the Grand Parade in the centre of Cape Town, with supporting Fan Parks at the Athlone Stadium and the Bellville Velodrome. Other locations for Public Viewing Areas in 2010 will possibly be George, Caledon, Paarl & Stellenbosch. (Cape Town Fan Parks )

== view locations fan parks for 2010 in Google Earth ==

Further afield, Plettenberg Bay has already hosted their first Fan Park event in April. Gansbaai has also announced plans to build a Fan Park (to be completed within the next year) on land donated by the local municipality. Knysna is likely to have a public viewing area for FIFA 2010 in South Africa.

Looking at Fan Parks in Johannesburg, Mary Fitzgerald Square in Newtown will be turned into a Fan Park for the Telkom Challenge in July and likely be a Fan Park in 2010 as well. (Johannesburg 2010 Fan Parks)

Durban has big plans for 2010 Fan Parks too: Durban has set its sights on building a massive beach-front fan park with huge screens to watch the soccer games on and various other forms of entertainment. (Durban 2010 Fan Parks)

Expect breaking news on Fan Park locations in the different 2010 host cities in our Editor's Picks newsletters.

In addition to these and other official Fan Parks, bars restaurants and shopping malls across South Africa will also set up commercial viewing areas for fans.

View all 2010 stadiums, host cities, LOC office and proposed fan park locations for 2010 on our 2010 Google Earth Map.

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Read more about 2010 Tshwane (Pretoria) Fan Parks, Mangaung,  (Bloemfontein) Fan Parks,