They join Durban and Cape Town, who have already signed deals.

The Host2Host programme is an initiative of UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), started over a year ago to forge busiess partnerships with other countries involved in hosting major sporting events.

It focuses on small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) setting up partnerships and getting a trade foothold into the host countries, among other things.

The initiative grew out of the realisation that cities needed to capitalise on establishing post-event economic legacies, said Sir Alan Collins, the UKTI's 2012 ambassador.

The Host2Host agreement was signed at OR Tambo International Airport, with South Africa's Executive Director for Economic Development, Jason Ngobeni (pictured with Sir Alan), standing in for Executive Mayor Amos Masondo.

Sir Alan signed on behalf of the UK delegation.

Ngobeni said the agreement would not only help in furthering local business opportunities but would also assist with the City's SMME development programme, which was now in its fifth year.

The programme was making headway in "helping SMMEs to get their products export ready, with one of the programme's beneficiaries recently landing a R3.9 billion (£309 million) contract", claimed Ngobeni.

Johannesburg will have two stadiums in the World Cup 2010 and also boasts the opening match, one semi-final and the final.·

Johannesburg's main stadium will be Soccer City (pictured), which was built in 1987 and has been extensively renovated for the World Cup with a capacity of 94,700.

The other stadium is Ellis Park, which was constructed in 1982 as a modern, integrated stadium offering outstanding sight lines from every seat.

The signing of the Host2Host agreement was the culmination of various collaborations between the UK Trade and Investment branch in Johannesburg and the Economic Development Department of the City, confirmed Brian Gallagher, the British Trade Commissioner in Johannesburg .

Collins said: "The first tangible assistance will be what remaining needs the City has in terms of 2010.

"We want to be your natural partner.

"We are both nations that love sport.

"Let's take this forward."

South Africa is the Britan's most important trade partner in Africa, with two-way trade between the countries amounting to R102 billion (£8 billion) a year.

Sir Alan said the Beijing Olympics accounted for a £2 billion trade benefit to British companies and "that's the sort of scale we are talking about".

Other cities to have signed up to the scheme include Vancouver, which is hosting the 2010 Winter Olympics, Singapore, the venue for the first Summer Youth Olympics next year, and Sochi, the host of the 2014 Winter Games.

Talks are currently continuing with various cities in New Zealand, which is hosting the 2011 Rugby World Cup.