Soccer greats will play the beautiful game with a specially designed South African soccer ball during next year's Fifa World Cup.

The ball, manufactured by Adidas, will be used exclusively in World Cup matches and is expected to be unveiled at Fifa's final draw in Cape Town in December, Gavin Cowley, managing director of Adidas SA, has revealed.

Speaking during the bi-weekly 2010 lecture series in Green Point last night, Cowley said the ball, like the Confederations Cup soccer ball, had a name, but that it would be kept a secret for now.

"Like the Kopanya soccer ball, which we manufactured for the Confederations Cup this year, the World Cup official soccer ball will also have a name and will be truly South African in colour and design," said Cowley.

"We are very excited and I wish I could tell all South Africans what design and colours we have selected for the World Cup soccer ball.

"Many might think it's ridiculous, but the ball is a very important component of the beautiful game - without it there is no soccer."

Adidas, an official Fifa sponsor, will also be supplying World Cup referees with kits and flag bearers and any other Fifa staff with clothing and branding ahead of and during the event.

Cowley said although many saw the 2010 World Cup as an "expensive event" for the country to host, the tournament was about bringing South Africans and Africans together.

"This World Cup will play a pivotal role in uniting the people of our country," he said.

"In December, when the official World Cup soccer ball is unveiled, over 700 000 million people will be watching.

"They will see Cape Town, and get images of what to expect when they come here for the World Cup.

"The World Cup and the events leading up to it are not just about football, infrastructure and commercialisation, they are about uniting a country and leaving a lasting legacy for generations to come."

Cowley added that if South Africans thought the 1995 Rugby World Cup was big, they should brace themselves as the Fifa World Cup would be "20 times the size of the Rugby World Cup".

The 2010 Lecture Series is a bi-monthly series of lectures by speakers who are integrally involved in the planning and implementation of national projects leading up to 2010.