LA Galaxy star David Beckham will receive 24-hour, round the clock security when he arrives in South Africa for Friday's World Cup draw.

The England international will be protected by tough South African police when he lands in Cape Town, a city that has an alarmingly high murder rate.

Beckham will be in Cape Town to promote England's 2018 World Cup bid and despite the fact he usually keeps a low profile, will have plenty of security with orders of shoot to kill if any trouble arises.

"He's always tried to appear low-key about security issues in public," said a Beckham aide.

"But this is going to be different. He knows he's going to a dangerous place and accepts he needs the kind of security usually afforded to a visiting head of state."