(CNN) -- South Africa becomes the center of global attention Friday as the World Cup, sport's most avidly followed competition, kicks off four weeks of soccer action both on and off the pitch.
Thousands of spectators from Africa and around the world are expected to pack the Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg for the opening ceremony ahead of the opening match at 4 p.m. (10 a.m. ET) between hosts South Africa -- known as "Bafana Bafana" -- and Mexico.
