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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