Post World Cup

Two days following the conclusion of the 19th installment of the World Cup, there are substantial changes throughout Port Elizabeth.

The first thing I observed was workers wasted no time in taking down roadside FIFA banners posted around the city. This surprised me considering that South Africans are less prompt on getting things done compared to the U.S. My classmates and I wagered that it would take around a month for the banners to be removed.

There is half the amount of ambulances and police cars roaming the streets compared to last month. I predicted this would happen because it’s the host nation’s job to paint a better picture of the country than in reality. There was also nearly twice the amount of people in the city with matches taking place at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. I have yet to cross paths with higher crime rates as a result of the reduced security.

The FIFA volunteer’s and security guards who were ever present during the tournament or nowhere to be found. I doubt I’ll see any more groups of three wearing green and yellow jackets sitting around doing nothing or managing to somehow get in the way.

The Kings Beach parking lot, which provided transports to Fan Parks and the stadium, is completely deserted. The night of the third-place game in Port Elizabeth, the sizable parking lot was filled with parked cars, taxis, shuttle buses and fans. There is zero traffic going to Kings Beach. I saw this coming and it is a bit disappointing that some of this public transit didn’t remain. I’m curious of what will happen to this large vacant area next to the coast.

My hypothesis that this host city would become a ghost town prior to the World Cup, hasn’t completely formulated. Although restaurants and business in Port Elizabeth does seemed to have died down a little. The festive atmosphere the tournament brought is gone.

The reaction from locals regarding their overall prognosis as hosts is it’s been a huge success. One Port Elizabeth native said that the World Cup has brought a lot of confidence to South Africans. I’m eager to see if the millions of dollars raised can help the country maintain economic stability, reduce unemployment, provide transportation and lower crime rates.