<P> The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams . It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010 . The bidding process for hosting the tournament finals was open only to African nations; in 2004, the international football federation, FIFA, selected South Africa over Egypt and Morocco to become the first African nation to host the finals . </P> <P> The matches were played in 10 stadiums in nine host cities around the country, with the final played at the Soccer City stadium in South Africa's largest city, Johannesburg . Thirty - two teams were selected for participation via a worldwide qualification tournament that began in August 2007 . In the first round of the tournament finals, the teams competed in round - robin groups of four teams for points, with the top two teams in each group proceeding . These 16 teams advanced to the knockout stage, where three rounds of play decided which teams would participate in the final . </P> <P> In the final, Spain, the European champions, defeated the Netherlands (third - time losing finalists) 1--0 after extra time, with Andrés Iniesta's goal in the 116th minute giving Spain their first world title . Spain became the eighth nation to win the tournament and the first European nation to win a World Cup hosted outside its home continent: all previous World Cups held outside Europe had been won by South American nations . As a result of their win, Spain represented the World in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup . Host nation South Africa, 2006 champions Italy and 2006 runners - up France were all eliminated in the first round of the tournament . It was the first time that the hosts had been eliminated in the first round . New Zealand, with their three draws, were the only undefeated team in the tournament, but they were also eliminated in the first round . </P> <P> Africa was chosen as the host for the 2010 World Cup as part of a short - lived policy, abandoned in 2007, to rotate the event among football confederations . Five African nations placed bids to host the 2010 World Cup: Egypt, Morocco, South Africa and a joint bid from Libya and Tunisia . </P>

Who won the soccer world cup in 2010