This year, two of the 2010 FIFA World Cup stadiums will offer fans new energy-efficient viewing options. Both the Nelson Mandela Bay and the Mbombela stadiums in South Africa will get LED screens courtesy of Spectrum Visual Network to enhance spectatorship - and energy efficiency - at the championship events.

Spectrum director Ronald Henry told Engineering News that the screens are both energy-saving and highly functional.

The LED technology will help FIFA meet their conservation requirements. The light bulbs used in the screens will consume less power, emit less heat, and last much longer - which will translate into energy efficiency and lowered maintenance costs for stadium officials.

Additionally, LED light bulbs offer sports fans the only kind that can be properly seen in daylight. The highly efficient bulbs are unique in their ability to emit enough light to be visible for afternoon games.

Some officials predict it won't be long before the LED lights take over sports stadiums. But a lingering problem is the high cost of the technology.

Luckily, many lighting industry leaders are working to lower the costs of LED bulbs - in no small part due to worldwide bans on incandescent light bulbs. Osram Sylvania is reportedly working to lower the cost of LED bulbs to just $10 by 2012.