South African soccer fans will continue to party even after the World Cup spectacular in Germany as another soccer extravaganza is to kick off on the football-loving soil this weekend.

Manchester United, arguably the most glamorous soccer club of all, will come to South Africa this week ahead of their competitions against two home-made soccer giants, it was announced on Tuesday.

The 16-time English soccer champion will play the Vodacom Challenge against Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs, respectively ranked the second and the third in the country's 2006 Premier Soccer League, during their off-season tour, said the government of South Africa's Gauteng Province, one of the hosts of the annual event.

United's first match will be against Pirates Saturday in Durban. They will then meet the Chiefs on July 18 in Cape Town. Two days later, Chiefs will play Pirates in Rustenburg and the winner will play the men from Old Trafford in the finals at Loftus Stadium in Pretoria on July 22.

Orlando Pirates are the defending champions of the Kudu trophy. Kaizer Chiefs are three-time winners of the trophy, while it is the second appearance for Manchester United, also known as the Red Devils, on South African soil.

The Reds' first visit was in 1993 when they drew 1-1 against Kaizer Chiefs.

South African soccer legend Irvin Khoza said in April that the idea to bring Manchester United to South Africa was "to pick up a few tips as the preparations (by South Africa) for 2010 (World Cup) begin in earnest."

"They have to start changing the minds of the South African fans now for the 2010 World Cup," Khoza said.

Source: Xinhua