Johannesburg — Gauteng residents, soccer fanatics and the global football industry had better get ready for the biggest soccer event this country has seen to date - as well as the arrival of David Beckham.

This year's three-day Soccerex conference, the biggest business-to-business soccer exhibition, will take place at the Sandton Convention Centre between 24 and 26 November 2008, reports the Gauteng Provincial Government.

World-famous soccer superstar, David Beckham is expected to give an address on managing the biggest world brand in football on the conference's second day.

Premier Mbhazima Shilowa is to give an opening address together with Tony Martin, the Chairman of Soccerex, on the first day of the conference.

There will also be an exclusive session with Danny Jordan, CEO of the Local Organising Committee, who is expected to give an update of South Africa's preparations for the FIFA 2010 World Cup.

The Soccerex Merit Awards for individual achievement by the world of football will also be held during the event.

International soccer legends from Barcelona will conduct soccer clinics in partnership with the David Beckham Academy and the establishment of the Soweto Football Museum.

Six regions of Gauteng will once again be indulged in the DISKI-5-aside games as part of the Soccerex social responsibility programme.

The introduction of the International Football Club Summit (IFCS) as a dedicated session on the first day is relevant for clubs and leagues of all sizes.

The IFCS will present a programme of sector-specific networking and learning workshops, focused on maximizing revenue streams for clubs through mobile marketing, player development and other topics such as law and finance management.

Over 4000 delegates and over 300 exhibitors, from over 95 countries are set to participate in this year's Soccerex. This year's event will be the biggest and best yet with the entire convention centre booked out.

This year's registration for the conference numbers indicate that African nations will be strongly represented for networking with the global football industry. The Department of Economic Affairs will facilitate participation of local SMMEs as well as Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment companies through its empowerment agencies such as the Gauteng Enterprise Propeller (GEP).

Besides offering loads of opportunities for local companies to partner and do business with their international counterparts, it is estimated that the hosting of Soccerex over three years would indirectly inject more than R5 billion into the Gauteng economy and would contribute massively to job creation.