Johannesburg - The critics have been silenced, organizers of the 2010 football World Cup in South Africa said on Wednesday.

"Plan B is dead," Danny Jordaan, head of the World Cup local organizing committee told reporters in Johannesburg in a year-end review of preparations for the tournament.

Jordaan was referring to speculation earlier this year that the world football body FIFA could yank the World Cup from South Africa if the country was deemed ill-prepared to become the first African host of the tournament.

FIFA president Joseph Blatter's admission in June that FIFA did have a Plan B when it came to the host nation - in the event of a major upset - was grist for the rumour mill.

By now, the sceptics, mostly Europeans, have been proved wrong, according to Jordaan.

All 10 World Cup stadiums - five new, five upgraded - will be ready on time, he assured. Despite South Africa's high crime levels, the organizers also trust in the country's ability to secure the event.

Nor did Jordaan seemly unduly perturbed by stadium overruns. The stadiums are now running at 3.2-billion-rand (around 315 million dollars) over budget. The national government has throw in an extra 1.4 billion rand, leaving the nine host cities to shoulder the remaining 1.8 billion rand.

The Confederations Cup being held June 14-28, 2009, will be seen as a key test of South Africa's World Cup preparedness.

Tickets for the eight-nation tournament went on sale in November. The match between record world champions Brazil and World Cup holders Italy game is the most popular with punters so far, FIFA said. (dpa)