Photograph of South African celebration in Times Square by Valerio Bruscianelli on Flickr

This morning, South African Tourism and Consul General Fikile Magubane of South Africa visited Nasdaq in Times Square and rang the opening bell, to celebrate the opening day of the 2010 FIFA World Cup which just began in South Africa. Right now, South Africa and Mexico are tied 0-0 at halftime in the first game of the tournament. Apparently referees are brushing up—in advance of tomorrow's USA-England match (2:30 p.m. EST; schedule)—on English slang "so that players won't be able to verbally abuse each other behind the officials' backs." The Daily Show's Jon Oliver took aim at the Yankee-Brit "rivalry" last night:

The World Cup also means a chance for New York soccer (or, as the rest of the world calls it, football) fans to gather at various watering holes around the city. Nevada Smith's (possibly the country's best soccer bar!), Zum Schneider, McCormack's, will be popular spots, but there are many other options—the new Loreley in Williamsburg, for one, the DUMBO archway, for another. Here's a list of 10 bars from NYC Best and a list of Williamsburg options from Free Williamsburg and the Wall Street Journal also has a nifty map showing where the matches can be seen around the city.

Sadly, there is a pall over the tournament: Nelson Mandela's 13-year-old great-granddaughter was killed in a car crash (it's believed a drunk driver was involved) while she was walking home from a pre-World Cup concert. The AP reports, "The Nelson Mandela Foundation said the tragedy 'made it inappropriate' for the former president, who is 91, to attend the opening ceremony in Johannesburg."