"I'm in Africa, I can't believe it. I'm just so sorry we're going to spoil their party on Friday!" said a laughing Victor Fernandez, coming off a long-haul flight with the green flag of Mexico who play hosts South Africa in Friday's opener.
Like many of the more than 300,000 foreign fans expected for the tournament, Fernandez's first purchase was a "vuvuzela", the ubiquitous trumpet blown by locals and variously likened to the noise made by a herd of elephants or swarm of bees.
Fans, though, are aghast at an ever-growing injury list which is threatening to rob the tournament of some glamour on the pitch despite the exotic African backdrop.
In a huge blow to Portugal's hopes of a first World Cup triumph, Nani was ruled out with a shoulder injury he picked up in training at home before flying to South Africa.
Other crowd-pullers like England's David Beckham, Germany's Michael Ballack and Ghana's Michael Essien pulled out long ago due to injuries. And Ivory Coast's Didier Drogba and the Netherlands' Arjen Robben are fighting not to join them.
African Footballer of the Year Drogba needs surgery on a fractured arm, but it is unclear if the striker will then be able to play for Ivory Coast, arguably the continent's best hope but heavily reliant on their talisman.
Dutch winger Robben has hurt a hamstring but is hoping to join team-mates later in the tournament to help a nation that has never won the Cup despite its famously skilful teams.
Italian midfielder Andrea Pirlo, Australian winger Harry Kewell, Chilean striker Humberto Suazo, and South Korean forward Lee Dong-guk are others struggling to get fit.
SPAIN, BRAZIL FAVOURITES; AFRICAN HOPES HIGH
Spain and Brazil are favourites for the world's most widely-watched sporting tournament, which has never produced a winner outside Europe or South America.
Millions of Africans, though, are praying one of their six teams here can break that, or at least go further than Cameroon and Senegal's quarter-final showings in 1990 and 2002.
Injuries and tough groups, however, mean there is a real risk all the Africans may fall at the first round hurdle.
South Africa's "Bafana Bafana" (The Boys) are the lowest-ranked African team at the tournament, but have fanatical ranks of vuvuzela-blowing locals - and a recent unbeaten run of 12 games - to lift them.
"As it gets nearer to kickoff, the nerves are beginning," admitted South Africa striker Bernard Parker.
Their opening game will take place in front of 90,000 people, and millions worldwide, in the Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg, which resembles a calabash or African pot.
Africa's most famous son Nelson Mandela held his first rally at Soccer City in 1990 after 27 years in jail and the hosts hope the tournament will showcase the new country he helped shape after decades of apartheid and foreign isolation.
The hosts inaugurated Africa's first high speed urban train in Johannesburg on Tuesday, just in time to help fa
