This is the last in my series of posts about the stadiums that are to be used in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. I hope you all have found this quite interesting. Today we will be covering 2 more stadiums, 1 in Nelspruit (in Mpumalanga province) and 1 in Pretoria (the capital of South Africa).

Here are few more facts about South Africa:

• The country gained independence from Great Britain on the 31st of May 1961.
• More than 70% of South Africans live in urban / metropolitan areas.
• A South Africa, Dr Chris Barnard was responsible for the first successful heart transplant in history.
• The swimming pool vacuum cleaner (generally referred to as the Kreepy Krauly) was invented by Ferdinand Chauvier, a hydraulics engineer who came to South Africa from the Belgian Congo in 1951.
• Pratley’s famous glue is the only South African invention that has been to the moon. In 1969 the putty was used to hold bits of the Apollo XI mission’s Eagle landing craft together.

Mbombela Stadium: This stadium is one of the newly-built stadiums for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The Mbombela stadium takes it’s name from the local municipality which incorporates the city of Nelspruit in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa. Mbombela means “many people together in a small space.” The Mbombela stadium has a seating capacity of 46,000. The signature feature of the stadium are the 18 roof supports that resemble giraffes. The multi-purpose stadium is expected to host key soccer and rugby matches in the future and will also be equipped for conferences. The Mbombela stadium will host 4 first round matches in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. It’s located 7 km from the Nelspruit city center and 12 km from the Kruger-Mpumalanga Airport. The stadium is also within driving distance from a few game parks and other tourist attractions. Before the construction of the Mombela Stadium Nelspruit had no top football venue to host international matches. Nelspruit is a buzzling city with more than 220,000 inhabitants. Nelspruit is situated 330 km East of Johannesburg. Nelspruit was founded in 1905. The city is a major stopover point for tourists travelling to the Kruger National Park and to Mozambique.

Related Links:
Nelspruit, Mpumalanga – Wikipedia
Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit – SA Venues

Loftus Versfeld Stadium: This stadium needs no introduction in South Africa. It’s situated in the heart of South Africa’s capital city, Pretoria / Tshwane. The stadium was first known as the Eastern Sports Ground. In 1932, Robert Owen Loftus Versfeld, a sports administrator, suffered a heart attack on the Eastern stand and died. In tribute to him, the stadium was renamed. Loftus Versfeld stadium has been used for major sporting events in South Africa since the early 1900s. It’s one of the oldest sport stadiums in South Africa and has been upgraded more than once over the years. The stadium has a seating capacity of 50,000. Loftus Versfeld stadium was slightly upgraded before the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup. A roof was added over the Eastern pavilion. Loftus Versveld stadium was a key venue in the 1995 Rugby World Cup and the 1996 African Cup of Nations. The stadium is currently the home of the Blue Bulls rugby team (2007 and 2009 Super 14 champions), Supersport United FC and Mamelodi Sundowns FC (teams in the PSL in South Africa). Pretoria / Tshwane is situated 50 km from Johannesburg and has a population of more than 2.3 million.

Related Links:
Pretoria – Wikipedia
Loftus Versfeld – The Stadium Guide

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This is the 4th post on Sports Fanatic dealing with the venues for the 2010 FIFA World Cup which will be hosted in South Africa next year. So far, we’ve covered the stadiums in Johannesburg, Polokwane and Rustenburg. Today we will cover 2 more stadiums that will used as venues for matches in next year’s tournament. For those of you who didn’t know, South Africa has 11 official languages, 9 provinces and an estimated population of about 49 million people. Today’s stadiums are located in the Eastern Cape and Free State provinces of South Africa. The Eastern Cape Province is 3rd most populated province in the country with a population of more than 6 million people (behind Gauteng and the Western Cape). The Free State Province is the 8th most populated province in South Africa, with a population of just under 3 million people.

Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium: The venue is set on the shores of the North End Lake, located in the Port Elizabeth area in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The stadium is named after South Africa’s first democratically elected president, Nelson Mandela. The Eastern Cape province border the Kwazulu Natal province. This is the first soccer / football dedicated stadium in the city of Port Elizabeth and its surrounding areas. The Nelson Mandela Bay stadium was newly-built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. It was completed in May 2009, on schedule. The venue will host 8 matches in the tournament, including the match for third place and 1 of the quarter final matches. The Nelson Mandela Bay stadium is a multi-purpose venue with a unique roof-structure and a spectacular view overlooking the North End Lake area. Before the construction of this venue, all international football matches were played at the EPRU (Eastern Province Rugby Union) Stadium. The Nelson Mandela Bay stadium features a natural grass playing surface with an artificial turf outer / surrounding area. The stadium has a seating capacity of 48,000. The Nelson Mandela Bay stadium has hosted a few events since it’s completion. The venue was used for a rugby match between the British & Irish Lions and the newly launched Southern Kings team in June 2009. The Nelson Mandela Bay stadium also hosted the 2009 edition of the Premier’s Cup and match between Orlando Pirates FC and Kaizer Chiefs FC in the Vodacom Challenge in July 2009.

Related Links:
Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium – Official Website
Nelson Mandela Stadium – Wikipedia

Free State Stadium: Situated in the city of Mangaung / Bloemfontein in the Free State Province of South Africa. The Free State province is situated in the central part of South Africa. The province borders the Northern Cape, Eastern Cape, Gauteng and Kwazulu Natal Provinces. The Free State Stadium is being used for rugby and football (soccer). Bloemfontein Celtic FC and the Free State Cheetahs call this stadium home. The seating capacity of the Free State Stadium was upgraded before the 2009 Confederations Cup. The stadium now has seating available for 45,000 fans. The Free State Stadium will host 5 first round matches and 1 second round match in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The Free State stadium has a good record of safety and security, ample parking and excellent corporate hospitality. Bloemfontein sports fans are well-known for their enthusiasm. This venue promises to be very enjoyable one in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The original Free State Stadium was built in 1952.

Related Links:
Free State Stadium – Wikipedia
Free State Stadium – SA Venues

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This is the next installment about the stadiums that will be used in South Africa next year during the 2010 FIFA World Cup. So far we’ve covered the stadiums in Kwazulu Natal, the Western Cape and Gauteng provinces. All the previously mentioned stadiums are in the major metropolitan areas of South Africa. Today we will cover 2 stadiums which are situated in smaller metropolitan areas. For the record, more than 70% of South Africa’s population is urbanized.

Royal Bafokeng Stadium: The Royal Bafokeng Stadium is situated 12 km outside the city of Rustenburg in the North West Province of South Africa. The Royal Bafokeng stadium is only a 30 minute drive from Sun City and the Pilanesberg. The stadium has been upgraded to seat 42,000 for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The roof of the main stand was upgraded as well for about $45 million. The Royal Bafokeng Stadium also has a new electronic scoreboard, new seats, upgraded floodlights and an upgraded public. This address system. This stadium has hosted many Professional Soccer League matches, despite the fact that Rustenburg does not even have a team in the competition. This multi-purpose venue hosted its first rugby international in 2006, for the Tri Nations competition. In the match South Africa beat New Zealand 21 – 20. The stadium has also hosted matches for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup. The stadium is named after the Bafokeng people who live in the area around the stadium. The Bafokeng people won a legal battle in 1999, entitling them to 20% of the platinum being mined on their historic land. Rustenburg is just over 1 hrs drive from South Africa’s capital city, Pretoria / Tshwane. The Royal Bafokeng Stadium will host first and second round matches in the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Related Links:
Royal Bafokeng Stadium – SA Venues
Royal Bafokeng Stadium – Engineering News

Peter Mokaba Stadium: This stadium is situated in Polokwane (formerly known as Pietersburg) in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. Polokwane is about 3 hours drive from Pretoria / Johannesburg. The Peter Mokaba Stadium is named after one of the sons of the struggle and emancipation against the apartheid regime in South Africa. This is being newly built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup and is situated just East of the old Pietersburg Stadium in Polokwane. The stadium is about 5 km from the Polokwane city center. When completed in early 2010, this stadium will seat 46,000 people. The city of Polokwane is home to more than 500,000 people. The Peter Mokaba Stadium will host 4 matches in the first round in next year’s FIFA World Cup. This promises to be a very interesting venue.

Related Links:
Peter Mokaba Stadium – Polokwane Website
Peter Mokaba Stadium – Go 2 Africa

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• January 21, 2010 -- Super 14 Fixtures for 2010 (1)
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• November 16, 2009 -- Proteas have mixed results against England (0)
• November 13, 2009 -- Springboks to take on France tonight (0)
• November 11, 2009 -- Famous Cricketers: Graeme Pollock (0)
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The 2010 FIFA World Cup will kick off in South Africa on the 11th of June next year. 3 million tourists are expected to make their way to South Africa for this event. The 2010 FIFA World Cup is expected to inject more than R20 billion ($2.6 billion) into the South African economy. 15,000 volunteers from around the world will be required by FIFA to host the event in South Africa. FIFA announced in early September 2009 that it has received nearly 70,000 applications from volunteers around the world. Interviews for volunteers will begin in December 2009. A survey released earlier this week indicated that 87 percent of the South Africans in the survey were convinced that South Africa would be ready to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Today we will be covering 2 more stadiums which will be used as match venues in the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Both of these stadiums are situated in the city of Johannesburg in the Gauteng province of South Africa. The province only comprises 1.4% of South Africa’s total land area, but has a population of more than 9.5 million (according to estimates in 2005), making it the most populous province in South Africa. Johannesburg is the largest city in Sub-Saharan Africa and has a population of almost 4 million people. The South African public generally refers to Johannesburg as “Joburg” or “Egoli” (meaning place of gold). In 1886 gold was discovered in the area and people from all over the world flocked to the site of the present day city.

Coca Cola Park: Also known as Ellis Park Stadium. This stadium was first built in 1928 to be used for rugby. In 1982 it was rebuilt for the same reason. Ellis Park Stadium was named after a Johannesburg city councilman, J.D Ellis, who approved the land for the stadium (a full 13 acres). This stadium holds a special place in the hearts of South Africans. The Springboks beat New Zealand on this ground in 1995, winning the Rugby World Cup. Coca Cola Park is also the site of the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup Final between Brazil and the United States. The stadium was upgraded before the tournament, increasing its seating capacity from 57,000 to 62,000. The stadium also features top notch media facilities, team whirlpools, top notch VIP areas for dignitaries, accessibility for disabled fans, a new pitch and a state-of-the-art audio visual setup to keep fans informed, occupied and entertained. The stadium is also the home of 2 local sports teams, The Golden Lions rugby team and Orlando Pirates FC football team. The venue is also regarded as one of South Africa’s premier concert venues. The Rolling Stones performed here in the early 1990s. Coca Cola Park Stadium promises to be one of most memorable venues of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Related Links:
Coca Cola Park Stadium – Official Website
Coca Cola Park – Wikipedia

Soccer City Stadium: This stadium has long been considered as the home of South African Football / Soccer since it was first built in 1987. Soccer City is situated in the South Western part of Johannesburg. It was first known as the FNB stadium with a capacity of about 80,000 people. It was also the first international football stadium to be constructed in South Africa. For the 2010 FIFA World Cup the stadium, now known as Soccer City Stadium, is being upgraded. The amount of suites in the stadium will be increased from 99 to 184. The upper tier of Soccer City Stadium will be upgraded to increase seating capacity. The stadium will be able to house 94,700 people comfortably. An encircling roof, new changing room facilities and new floodlighting were also added to the list of upgrades. The ground’s new design resembles an African pot known as a calabash. Soccer City Stadium was the venue for the first mass rally for Nelson Mandela after he was released from prison in 1990. Thousands of mourners also lamented Chris Hani’s assassination at the stadium in 1993. In 1996 Soccer City hosted the CAF African Cup of Nations final in which South Africa beat Tunisia 2 – 0. Soccer City will host the opening match and the final for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The atmosphere in this stadium promises to be very electric and vibrant.

Related Links:
Soccer City Stadium – Wikipedia
Soccer City Stadium – Official Website

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• November 16, 2009 -- Proteas have mixed results against England (0)
• November 13, 2009 -- Springboks to take on France tonight (0)
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All eyes will be on South Africa next year. Less than a year from now South Africa will host the 2010 FIFA World Cup. This will be the 19th World Cup tournament held in history. The first World Cup was held in 1930 in Uruguay. South Africa will be the first African country in history to host the FIFA World Cup and only the 2nd country in history to have hosted the Cricket, Rugby and Soccer World Cups (a truly remarkable achievement). Today we will be covering 2 of the venues where the games will be played in next year’s competition. The 2010 FIFA World Cup promises to be showcase of world class soccer (or football for the British out there who despises the word). It will only be right to have these games take place in world class stadiums. Construction of new stadiums and upgrades to existing stadiums has been steadily progressing over the last 2-3 years and is nearing completion. The games for the 2010 FIFA World Cup will be played in 10 different stadiums, all around South Africa.

Green Point Stadium: Situated in the city of Cape Town, in the Western Cape province of South Africa, this stadium will host one of the Semi-Final games in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Green Point Stadium is being upgraded currently and construction should be complete by December 2009. The stadium should be able to seat +/- 70,000 people and have a retractable roof when upgrades are finished. Cape Town has another stadium which is primarily used for rugby games, Newlands. Green Point Stadium will probably house local professional football outfit, Ajax Cape Town after the tournament. This truly promises to be a remarkable venue and promises to be a stadium that will be admired, enjoyed and remembered by spectators.

Related Links:
Green Point Stadium – Visitor’s Center Website
Green Point Stadium, Cape Town – Cyber Cape Town
Green Point Stadium, Cape Town – SA Venues
Green Point Stadium – Wikipedia

Moses Mabhida Stadium: This stadium is currently under construction in the Kings Park Sporting Precinct in Durban which is situated in the Kwazulu Natal province of South Africa. In late 2006 the old Kings Park Soccer stadium was demolished to make space for this stadium. The Moses Mabhida Stadium will have a seating capacity of 70,000 and was designed to be a multi-purpose venue and amphitheatre. This stadium will feature a massive 350 m long free and 105 m high span arch will hold up the roof. The top of the arch will rise to 106 m above the pitch. The arch will consist of 5 x 5 m steel hollow box and will weigh 2,600 tons. Visitors will be carried from the North side to a viewing platform at the top of the arch by a funicular and enjoy breathtaking, panoramic views of the nearby city and ocean. There will be a 550 step adventure walk on the South side. The stadium is named after a former commander and recruiter of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the military wing of the ANC (African National Congress). This Moses Mabhida Stadium will be the crown jewel of the Kings Park Sporting Precinct in the shadow of the ABSA Stadium, home of the local rugby team, The Sharks. This stadium will host one of the semi-final games in the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Related Links:
Moses Mabhida Stadium – Wikipedia
Moses Mabhida Stadium – SA Venues
Moses Mabhida Stadium – Ethekwini Online

I’m sure that there will be plenty of persons advertising their properties, services and goods in the classifieds or other publications in order to attract tourists and visitors (if they have not started to do so already). The 2010 FIFA World Cup is bound to bring economical upliftment to the people of Cape Town and Durban which will be good for South Africa in general.

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