Everybody instantly recognises the Olympic Rings, the five intertwined circles representing the five continents. Without question one of the best-known emblems in the world, the rings have been synonymous with the Olympic Games for decades. The Official Emblem is a crucial part of a major sporting event.

The role of the Official Emblem for each FIFA Competition is to convey the spirit and dynamism of football together with the characteristics of the host country. Before the event itself even kicks off, the Official Emblem is the bridge between the organisers and the public and should be instantly recognisable, appearing on all publications, at associated events and on merchandising.

Celebrating faces of football
For the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany TM, an exhaustive list of criteria was drawn up before the agencies, commissioned to design the Official Emblem, set about their work. As the host nation, Germany had to be instantly recognisable in the Official Emblem, as did the light-hearted and relaxed character of the 2006 tournament. It had to be unconventional, without being technocratic, and in keeping with the brand image of FIFA.

As the event's organiser, FIFA commissioned London agency Whitestone to produce the Official Emblem. The decision to appoint Whitestone was based on their previous outstanding design for the Official Emblem of the FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan. Some elements of this creation, in particular the Trophy, are apparent in the 2006 Official Emblem - and will reappear in all future Emblems of FIFA World Cups.

"Our goal was to convey, via a symbol, the incomparable emotions that can only be evoked by football," said Andreas Abold, proprietor of Abold, the agency commissioned by the Local Organising Committee to work alongside their London counterparts on the design of the Official Emblem.

After numerous preliminary discussions, the creative minds of the two agencies got together in private for three days in September 2001. Paper flew as sketches and ideas ranging from "the conventional to the extraordinary" were proposed and rejected. Dozens of meetings followed: in the Munich headquarters of the Local Organising Committee, at Whitestone's offices in London and at FIFA in Zurich. There were discussions, deliberations and sometimes arguments. The end result was "Celebrating Faces of Football", a perfect fit for the tournament's slogan "A Time To Make Friends".

A symbol of hope
On July 7, 2006, the Official Emblem of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa was unveiled at a vibrant ceremony in the Tempodrom in Berlin. Molefi Oliphant, President of the South African Football Association, summed up the occasion perfectly when he said: "We (South Africa) are receiving the baton from Germany, like in a race, and now we are running our lap."

The emblem depicts the energy and vigour of the African continent. The inspiration for the footballing figure over the shape of Africa is drawn from Khoi-San rock paintings, and is also representative of the continent's rich and long history. Unveiling the emblem President Thabo Mbeki declared: "We are showcasing a new forward-looking and dynamic South Africa."