More than 100,000 England fans will be needed to help to turn the Fifa 2010 World Cup into a financial success. But fears are growing that the credit crunch will confine the army of supporters to their homes, leaving stadiums empty and ruining the huge effort made by the South African authorities to be ready for the biggest sporting event in the nation’s history.

Question marks over whether South Africa will host the tournament were erased yesterday, when Fifa declared that there was no back-up plan to switch the event to another country. Worries have persisted that South Africa’s ambitious stadium-building plans would not be completed in time. Dr Danny Jordaan, chief executive of the country’s 2010 organising committee, admitted that costs have escalated by about £183 million because of recession. Jordaan said that, with most of the new stadiums nearing completion, South Africa could bear the extra cost if the fans turn up.

The one saving grace is that the value of the rand has tumbled. “There is concern if people will come in the numbers we expected,” Jordaan said. “We anticipate 450,000 to 500,000 and England, Italy, Germany and the Netherlands to bring huge support. If those fans have fewer pounds, then they should find that they get more rands.”