South Africa regularly hosts major international sporting events, and since 1994 has successfully managed some of the biggest - including the 1995 Rugby World Cup, the 2003 Cricket World Cup, the Women's World Cup of Golf in 2005 and 2006 and, in January 2006, the only street race in the inaugural A1 GP World Cup of Motorsport.
The Final 10 Stadiums
Green Point Stadium, Cape Town- Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban
- Nelson Mandela Stadium, Port Elizabeth
- Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit
- Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg
- Soccer City, Johannesburg
- Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria
- Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
- Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg
- Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane
Five of South Africa's football stadiums have undergo major renovations for 2010: Soccer City and Ellis Park in Johannesburg, Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria, the Royal Bafokeng stadium in Rustenburg in North West province, and Vodacom Park in Bloemfontein in the Free State. New stadiums have been built at Mbombela in Mpumalanga and in the Nelson Mandela Metro (encompassing Port Elizabeth) in the Eastern Cape.
NEW! Moses Mabhida Stadium - Durban
Named after the former Secretary general of the South African Communist Party Moses Mabhida Stadium is a custom built structure commissioned as part of Durban’s preparation for the FIFA World Cup 2010 Soccer Tournament. The old Kings Park Soccer Stadium was demolished to make way for this new, state of the art facility. Durban has a long history of soccer with the first national league started in the city.Moses Mabhida Stadium has a seating capacity of between 70,000 and 80,000 people, and is intended after the World Cup Tournament to serve Durban as a multi-use stadium. It is situated adjacent to the ABSA Stadium in the Kings Park Sporting Precinct which hosts a variety of different sporting disciplines including athletics, rugby, golf and swimming. The new complex will include an indoor arena, sporting museum, sports institute and a new transmodal transport station.
The ground epitomises the architectural innovation on display in South Africa and takes its design inspiration from the South African flag, with its grand arch representing the unity of this sport-loving nation. The two legs of the arch on the southern side of the stadium come together to form a single footing on the northern side (forming a Y as on the South African flag), symbolising the new unity of a once-divided country.The stadium has been specifically designed as a multi-purpose venue and an amphitheatre complete with a cable car which ascends to a viewing platform at the top of the expansive 350m arch, a staggering 106m above the pitch. From this vantage point, visitors can experience spectacular panoramic views of the nearby shoreline and the city. The roof is attached to the arch by 95mm-diameter steel cables. Each seat of the stadium is spacious and comfortable, providing a clear line of sight to the pitch.
It is a world-class and multifunctional arena located in the heart of the Kings Park Sporting Precinct. Durban's Moses Mabhida Stadium will be the jewel in the crown of the Kings Park Sporting precinct. The entire area will feature additional sporting arenas and facilities as well as restaurants, shops, play areas for children and a pedestrian walkway linking the stadium complex to the beach.
NEW! Green Point Stadium-Cape Town
One of the most artistic football venues in South Africa, the newly-built Green Point Stadium is situated in one of the much sought-after areas in the city of Cape Town.The Green Point Stadium in Cape Town has been transformed into a completely new 70 000 seater, all-weather, multi-purpose, environmentally sustainable, modern, technologically advanced, world class Stadium giving expression to the “African Renaissance Stadium” at the juncture between Table Mountain and the Atlantic Ocean at the southern tip of Africa.
This multi-purpose venue is also going to be used to stage major events and concerts. Fans will be a stone's throw from the ocean and the mountains of Cape Town will also provide the backdrop for matches. The location is ideal as it is a short walk from the transportation hub of the city. The new stadium has been partly built on land that was previously used as a golf course. The stadium, which has an exterior that is covered with noise-reducing cladding. The Green Point Common, on which the new 2010 stadium is built, was originally much larger than what now remains, and included most of the land between the sea and Signal Hill, stretching from the city centre towards Sea Point.
One of the most artistic and awe-inspiring football venues on the African continent, the newly-reconstructed Soccer City Stadium will host the first and final matches of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™.Home to South African football heavyweights Kaizer Chiefs, the 94,000 capacity Soccer City has undergone a US$310 million revamp for these finals. The ground's design is inspired by the iconic African pot known as the calabash (image on the right), and its aesthetic appeal will be heightened when the stadium is lit at night.
The stadium is widely regarded as the heart of football in South Africa as it has hosted many important matches through history. Built in 1987, Soccer City has played host to some of the most memorable matches in South Africa’s soccer history. Before the makeover, the ground literally used to shake with the fervour of supporters, so expect the extra capacity to turn the volume up to stunning levels. Soccer City (also know as the FNB Stadium) is earmarked to host both the opening and final matches of the 2010 Soccer World Cup. I know that there are a lot of negitive things happening in South Africa, but time heals what reason cannot.
I wish South Africa the very best and great success during, as well as after the 2010 soccer world cup.
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