2010 is Africa's date with destiny: Pusch Commey reports from Johannesburg of an innovative way of mobilising African support for the 2010 football World Cup to be hosted by South Africa.

As the countdown to Africa's greatest sporting event draws closer, so are plans to make it the best event in the world ever. Three years from this summer all roads will lead to Africa. Kick off is 11 June. The final is scheduled to take place in Johannesburg on 11 July 2010.

The host country, South Africa, is already ahead of schedule in the building of stadiums, other infrastructure development, information technology, hospitality plans and transportation.

Huge budgets have been allocated for the host cities, including the 20 billion rand Gautrain, a sophisticated train service that will criss-cross Pretoria and Johannesburg, just in time for the extravaganza. 2010 temperature is palpably on the rise.

Not to be left out are supporters of Africa. The Coalition of Supporters Unions of Africa (COSUA) was launched in Ghana last year with the objective of marshalling all of Africa behind the six African national teams which will vie for honours at the 2010 World Cup.

COSUA plans to mobilise citizens from all 53 African states under a single umbrella organisation to provide unified support to all the six nations that will represent Africa, and also at all subsequent global sporting events, regardless of nationality, race or ethnicity

The long term objective of COSUA is to use football, a veritable African passion, to promote unity on the continent. 2010 has come as a blessing.

Speaking in Johannesburg, Sarfo Abrebrese, a sports commentator, lawyer, and television personality in Ghana outlined COSUA's objectives:

"We saw the power of soccer to unite in Ghana. We formed an all embracing supporters union called SUGHA (Supporters Union of Ghana) which mainly incorporated the supporters of the two most glamorous clubs in the country, Accra Hearts of Oak and Kumasi Asante Kotoko. The effect was phenomenal. Where there was animosity, now there is friendship. This has been a great catalyst in uniting Ghanaians beyond soccer There is no reason why this cannot be duplicated in the cause of African unity."

COSUA has received the blessing of the 2010 local organising committee of the World Cup. What motivated Sarfo Abrebrese, the founder of COSUA, was his desire to complement the efforts of African leaders in their non-negotiable quest for African unity. He found soccer to be the most useful vehicle. He anticipates massive support that will see an all African final and an African victory in 2010.

"We must have a truly African world cup and Africa must win," he says. "Imagine the immense political and socioeconomic significance of united African support at the stadium and an African victory. It will not be for four years but forever. 2010 is Africa's date with destiny".

Sarfo calculates that COSUA will be able to mobilise 2,000 supporters from each of the 53 African countries, making a total of 106,000. Getting even half of this into the stadiums to support African teams will be a major boost. Does he anticipate any problems with his grand vision? He believes teething problems will be easier than that faced by the African union.

Then there is the issue of sponsors. He asserts that great strides have been made in reaching the official sponsors of the World Cup, but nothing has been concluded yet.

Fundraising activities are also on the cards. There are also plans to get members to begin saving up for the event. He is open to other rival sponsors if the official ones like Coca Cola do not come on board. Ultimately members of COSUA may not even have to pay to come to the World Cup. As a proactive organisation, accommodation has already been arranged for 1,000 members. Tickets for members are also being arranged. All African T shirts, caps and other memorabilia are being printed.

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Politically, COSUA hopes to be made part of the African Union programme. In addition, it will approach the Directorate of Sports at the United Nations for support. The aim is for COSUA to be given observer status at the UN. A constitution should be in place by September this year, and a COSUA president will be elected at a congress in Johannesburg, as well as vice presidents from the five regions of the African Union.