After the semi-finals and ahead of the last two games of the FIFA World Cup, South African based data analytics company, Principa, has announced their data-driven predictions for the final match scores.

Principa’s football world cup score predictions are done using predictive analytics and machine learning methods. The predictions have been submitted on Superbru.com with the purpose of seeing how well different predictive analytics techniques used successfully in other areas, can outperform the best human-made predictions. The best-performing algorithm uses the Bayesian Inference method. The model has been automated to adopt a machine learning approach in that it reselects variable and parameters every time it is run, adapting to how the world cup is unfolding. Results of games from previous rounds inform predictions for the next round and the model is proving more accurate than 99.96% of other Superbru predictions at this, after the semi-finals.

Principa have made their predictions available on their website: https://wonders.principa.co.za/principa-predicts-football-world-cup-2018

These predictions come after the model has been updated with the latest results from the knock-out rounds.

Principa have also created an overview of some of the more interesting insights discovered during the data preparations: https://wonders.principa.co.za/football-world-cup-2018-statistics

About Principa: Principa Decisions (Pty) Ltd. work wonders with data science to serve over 150 companies in 30 countries in Africa, Middle East and Europe.Principa’s data science solutions help customers answer questions about the past and present to anticipate future outcomes. Our data scientists, developers and consultants work together to develop data analytics products and solutions that derive answers, predictions and recommended actions from large and complex data. The data insights derived provide the information and knowledge from which to develop more effective strategies, increase efficiency and profitability and decrease cost and risk. 

Media enquiries: Estee Schroeder, 021 680 6341, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The future of the FIFA Confederations Cup looks uncertain and it is possible that next years event in Russia will be the last – but Russia will do everything possible to make it a memorable event.

This was evident as the host pulled of an entertainment packed event, which brought many famous Russian musicians to the stage. Two-time Olympic gold medalist Yelena Isinbaeva and five-time Russian Premier League winner Sergey Semak drew the teams of the World Cup warm-up tournament into two groups.

Group A – Russia, New Zealand, Portugal and Mexico

Group B – Champion of Africa, Chile, Australia and Germany

The opening match will be played on Saturday, 17 June 2017, with Russia taking on New Zealand in St Petersburg. Known as the ‘Cultural Capital’ of Russia this city will also host the final on 2 July.

The Cup winner will receive $4.1 million, with the runner-up still taking home $3.6 million. The huge prize money should guarantee great performances of the teams.

Russian President Vladimir Putin promised that all the stadiums would be built in time, ready for both events, Confed and World Cup.

Khaya’s management attended the Draw and confirmed that the FIFA World Cup’s ‘little brother’ will see a number of Khaya clients sending exploration teams to the event, as a ‘training exercise’ ahead of Russia 2018.

Global Sales Director, Rafael Sperotto noted: “The choice of Kazan for the Draw was very important to our clients. The city, being the least structured of the four Confed Cup host cities, allowed for a first impression of facilities and brainstorming of their plans.”

Today Khaya has a great selection of hotels with easy access to the Kazan Arena where the city will host Portugal vs Mexico, Mexico vs Russia and Chile vs Germany during the group phase, as well as one of the semi-finals.

Khaya Russia’s Country Manager, Elena Anaclerio, revealed:  “We concluded major deals with various hotel groups in preparation for both the 2017 Confederations Cup and the World Cup in 2018. We are ready, right on track, to offer our clients a wide variety of accommodation as well as transport options in all the host cities. We will make it happen… We are wherever you are!” 

Johannesburg - The Spur Soccer Masidlale Programme concluded after 17 weeks instilling essential life skills into young lives and reaching more than 30 000 children within historically disadvantaged areas since its inception in 2005.

Bellavista Creche, an NPO located in Bellavista East was the charity who won the R10 000 prize yesterday at the finals played in Soweto.

What started out as 12 one-day soccer clinics involving 10-12 year olds, has grown into a fully-fledged annual soccer league in the main metropolitan areas of Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth.

One of Spur’s corporate social investment aims is to use sport to uplift communities. The central venues are selected in historically disadvantaged areas where school sport participation is low. The Masidlale Programme fills this gap.

Each one of the cities had 200 players (100 girls and 100 boys) taking part who come from 10 local schools. The teams are given Spur-branded soccer kits which they can keep. Primary schools that have participated per region were as follows:

Kwa-Zulu Natal

• Zandile
• Emthetweni
• Inkonkoni
• Zwelesithembiso
• Thamela
• Isipingo
• Lindelani
• Mzwilili
• Fundakakhle
• Phila

Winning schools were Zandile (boys) and Inkonkoni (girls).

Port Elizabeth

• Enkwenkwezini
• Elundini
• Dumani
• Elufefeni
• Fumisikoma
• Melisizwe
• Zanoxolo
• Ikhwezelihle
• Mpumalanga
• Siyaphambili

Winning schools were Enkwenkweni (boys) and Elufefeni (girls).

Cape Town

• Lwazi
• Luzuko
• Lehlohonolo
• Ilitha
• Mseki
• Vukukhanya
• Sokhanyo
• Sonwabo
• Vuyane
• Xolani

Winning schools were Sonwabo (boys) and Lwazi (girls).

Johannesburg

• JB Marks
• Julius Sebolayi
• Bonamelo
• Braamfischer
• Nkoni Maruping
• Obed Mosiane
• Moses Kotane
• Mayibuye 
• Khulanolwazi
• Kid Maponya

Winning schools were Julius Sebolai (boys) and Obed Mosiane (girls).

According to Khakhi Diala, Brand Activation Manager of the Spur Group, sport teaches us more than just physical skills; sport is a metaphor for life. That is why Spur has included a life skills programme to run alongside the soccer league.

“Spur Steak Ranches is again proud to have completed a very successful Spur Soccer Masidlale program for the 11th Year now, 800 boys and girls from four provinces duly benefited from the skills development and life skills elements that they went through” We are also proud to have donated R10 000 to a needy charity”, added Khakhi.

Fifty mentors per league met with their groups every two weeks to explore essential skills needed to excel in life. The mentors teach self-esteem, positive behaviour changes and wise decision making. They equip the children beyond the sports field into home and school life. 20 girls and 20 boys are then chosen for further mentoring.

The main prize for the winning team is that they become mascots at PSL games.

To ensure the lessons go further into the schools, Spur has a Masidlale Coaching Programme for the school coaches. These are run by accredited coaching facilitators who train 30 coaches from four provinces.

Interactive Sport is involved with the mentoring programme which extends to the coaches and one teacher per school.

Masidlale means “let’s play” in Xhosa. So the programme’s aim is to change lives through play.

For more information about Spur, feel free to visit their website http://www.spur.co.za/