One of the world's greatest football players, David Beckham, is expected to run a clinic for Johannesburg youngsters during Soccerex 2008, a business soccer exhibition to be held in November.

Football legends, international football clubs, football-playing nations and football-related businesses attend the annual show, which will run at the Sandton Convention Centre, reports the City of Joburg on its official site.

Mr Beckham is expected to feature in Bend it Like Beckham, a soccer showcase in which hundreds of youngsters will be coached and mentored by one of the world's greatest football players.

However, according to Duncan Revie, the Soccerex Chief Executive Officer, Mr Beckham's trip to South Africa depends on his club commitments.

"Mr Beckham's involvement in this year's Soccerex will obviously be one of the main attractions but all this will depend on whether he will be involved in the playoffs with his club."

This year's football festival, a regular feature at Soccerex, will involve a Brazilian and a North American side, which will play South African teams.

Last year the Soccerex 07 was also held at the Sandton Convention Centre, exceeded everybody's expectations, with over 4 000 international delegates attending the football gathering, Mr Revie said.

He said 88 percent of all the delegates gave Johannesburg's hospitality a thumbs up and 78 percent of those who came for business were satisfied with their business dealings.

Soccerex is the only international football convention that gives exhibitors and delegates the opportunity to network with suppliers, manufacturers, key buyers and decision-makers.

The convention will be staged in Gauteng until 2009.

Mr Revie expected a 50 percent increase in the number of people attending the soccer convention this year.

A volunteer programme will be pioneered at the convention, under which unemployed youngsters will be drafted into the programme in preparation for the Confederations Cup 2009 and the 2010 Fifa World Cup.

Geoff Thompson, a former world karate champion, is expected to partner with the Gauteng provincial government to train volunteers, according to the province's MEC for Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation Barbara Creecy.

"The volunteer programme will see 6 000 volunteers being trained for the Confederations Cup and 15 000 for the world cup.

“Volunteers will include general volunteers and specialist volunteers."

Ms Creecy said Soccerex would lead to the building of a five-a-side stadium in Soweto, the province was negotiating with the City of Johannesburg on the exact location of the stadium.

A Diambars Football Academy is also to be established in Ekurhuleni before the world cup soccer in 2010 starts.

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