Africa10 is an all-encompassing documentary film project, spearheaded by will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas, that takes South Africa’s – and by extension, Africa’s as a whole – inaugural hosting of the 2010 World Cup as an opportunity to explore the cultures and struggles of African people through the ubiquitous presence of soccer (read: football) in peoples’ lives throughout the world. (An aside, for Americans: the World Cup is the Super Bowl of soccer, takes place every four years, involves the entire planet of Earth, and ignites the passions of billions of people the world over…save those married to our high-sucrose sports culture).

A synopsis of the film, from the Africa10 website:

“Africa10″ is the feature documentary that follows the lives of a group of Africans in the run-up to, during, and after the World Cup. From kids kicking a homemade ball in the street, to passionate fans, community activists, world leaders, aspiring young players and African legends of the game’s past and present, the film depicts the rich — and at moments heartbreaking — story of life and football in Africa. It is a kaleidoscope of modern Africa that many have never seen and few will soon forget.

The film will be fully completed only after the World Cup has taken place, beginning a week from this Friday, June 11th, 2010 and continuing through July 11th, 2010. Not to give away any surprises, but Africa’s qualifying teams are: Algeria, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, and South Africa.

Here is the inimitably benevolent and adorable Archbishop Desmond Tutu on the prevalence of soccer in Africa:

You can find more information on Africa10, including a trailer, at their website.