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Soccer World Cup - South Africa 2010
South Africa 2010 FIFA World Cup Odds ►►
History - Groups - Players - Venues
South African World Cup 2010 - Cities and Venues
Durban:
With over 3.1 million inhabitants Durban is the second biggest city in South Africa after Johannesburg and it s located in the East coast. Durban offers a broad range of cultural and recreational supplies as well as a lot of places to visit.
The new Durban-Stadium is also known as the King-Senzangakhona-Stadium. The biggest game ever played at this location was the game of South Africa against the English national team in 2003. The stadium will be ready by 2009 and will have a gross capacity of 70,000 seats. The arena will be characterized for two huge steel arches coming down from the roof at a height of 100 meters.
Johannesburg:
The city has a total of 3,225,608 inhabitants. It is the biggest city in South Africa and it is the capital of the province Gauteng. Johannesburg is not the typical tourist place but it has a couple of highlights to offer (Park Gold Reef City). Johannesburg will be the only city that will counts with two stadiums which are: Elli Park and the FNB-Stadium.
In 1928 the Ellis Park was initially built as a Rugby stadium. 1982 then it was torn off and rebuilt, again just for rugby games. The stadium is named after city council J.D. Ellis who approved the construction. The biggest event hold in Ellis Park was the final of the Rugby World Cup in 1995. After the modernization it will have place for around 60.000 spectators. Ellis Park is one of the five stadiums selected for the Confederation-Cup 2009.
The FNB-Stadium, also known as Soccer City, is a football-only stadium with a current capacity of 80.000 seats. For the FIFA World Cup 2010 it will be topped up to 96.000 seats. The stadium was named after the First National Bank. It was the first construction of a national stadium in the country back in 1987. Right next to the stadium there is the office of the South African football association’s head quarter, the SAFA House where the office for the FIFA is currently accommodated as well. This will also be quarter for the local organizing committee for the coming up World Cup. Soccer City will be the venue of the first World Cup’s opening game in Africa.
Cape Town:
Cape Town is the third biggest city in South and it is located in the South West on the Table Bay of the Atlantic Ocean. Cape Town is also called the Mother City. The place is an ideal location for an event such as the World Cup.
The new African Renaissance Stadium will replace the Green Point Stadium that currently counts with a capacity of 18,000 seats for an increased capacity of approximately 70,000 seats. It will be constructed on an area which is used as a golf course.
Bloemfontein:
Bloemfontein is known as ‘the city of roses’, due to the richness of flowers and the traditional rose festival.
Bloemfontein’s stadium is the Free State Stadium which currently has space for around 38,000 spectators. The stadium, which was built in 1952. In 1995 the arena served as the location for the Rugby World Cup group games as well as the Quarterfinals. After the reconstruction it will have a capacity for 48,000 seats and it will serve as a site for five venues of the FIFA Confederation-Cup in 2009, a tournament which is held since 1997.
Port Elizabeth:
Port Elizabeth is located in the South of the country and it is home to South Africa’s motor vehicle industry.
The new Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium will be finished on February 2009 and will have a capacity for 48,000 seats.
Nelspruit:
Nelspruit is located in the northeastern part of South Africa. Nelspruit has been called the gateway to the Kruger Park as it is the closest city.
The Mbombela Stadium will be rebuilt for the World Cup 2010. The new stadium will have a capacity for 46,000 seats; most spectators will be covered by a cantilever roof.
Polokwane:
This is the most Northern city which will be venue for four games of the first round of the World Cup 2010.
The Peter Mokaba Stadium will be renewed for the coming up World Cup. The roof over the existing West stand of the Peter Mokaba Stadium will be removed and replaced with a roof that will cover the entire Western stand of the new Stadium.
Rustenburg:
This is a small city with only 125,000 inhabitants located at the bottom of the Magaliesberg mountain range. Despite the city being relatively small it is the fastest growing city in the country and has numerous interesting places.
The Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace was built in 1995 for the Rugby World Cup. It will undergo a remodeling in order to increase its space capacity up to 42,000 seats. Just very few implementations are required to upgrade it to FIFA’s standards as the stadium is very well equipped. The stadium has been selected as a site for the Confederation-Cup in 2009.
Pretoria:
This city is one of the three capitals and it is situated in the Northern part of the Gauteng Province.
Loftus Versfeld Arena was built In 1906. It has a capacity for 45,000 seats. Along with other locations it served as a stadium for the 1995 Rugby World Cup and will welcome some of the Confederation-Cup games in 2009.