2010 FIFA World Cup Stadiums
>> June 9, 2010 –
World Cup 2010
Ellis Park Stadium
Johannesburg’s Ellis Park Stadium is located in the south-western part of New Doomfontein, Johannesburg’s central business district. The Ellis Park Stadium is also known as the Coca-Cola Park. The stadium was first constructed in 1928 and was built exclusively for rugby. Decades from then, in 1982, the Ellis Park Stadium was pulled down and renovated, again for the sole purpose of playing host to the sport of rugby. The stadium was recently retouched for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The stadium is named so after its ‘patron’ JD Ellis, a Johannesburg city councilor, who reserved 13 acres of land for the purpose of setting up the stadium.
The Ellis Park Stadium is capable of playing host to a crowd of around 62,000 fans and is noted for its VIP areas, media facilities, team whirlpools and pitch. It also boasts of a world-class audio-visual setup and a unique ‘friendliness’ towards disabled fans. The stadium, in the past has hosted myriad sporting events, and recently even hosted the finals of the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup between the United States of America and Brazil. The Ellis Park is also home to the Orlando Pirates, one of South Africa’s most loved and followed clubs.
South Africa’s sporting fans will always recognize and love the Ellis Park Stadium for the fact that it hosted the finals of the 1995 Rugby World Cup. The finals saw South Africa face-off against New Zealand. A resolute South Africa fought hard against the shocked Kiwis to lift the 1995 Rugby World Cup trophy. The stadium is also infamous for the stampede that it witnessed during a football match between the Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs in 2001. 40 fan lost their lives in a stadium that was packed with roughly around 1, 20,000 spectators.
The Ellis Park Stadium, as a FIFA World Cup 2010 match venue, will host five group matches, one second round match and one of the quarter finals.
Matches To Be Held At The Ellis Park Stadium
The schedule for the matches to be held at the Ellis Park Stadium is given below.
| Date | Stage | Match |
| June 12 | Group B | Argentina Vs Nigeria |
| June 15 | Group G | Brazil Vs Korea DPR |
| June 18 | Group C | Slovenia Vs USA |
| June 21 | Group H | Spain Vs Honduras |
| June 24 | Group F | Slovakia Vs Italy |
| June 28 | Round of 16 | 1G Vs 2H |
| July 03 | Quarter-finals | W55 Vs W56 |
Free State Stadium
The Free State Stadium is located in the South African city of Mangaung / Bloemfontein and is home to a large number of football-crazy fans. The stadium was built in 1952 and went through a series of renovations in 2008 and also a quick makeover for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The stadium can now host around 45,000 fans, a difference of a 7000 from an earlier capacity of 38,000 fans.
The Free State Stadium is mostly remembered and recognized for hosting the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup semi-final match between Spain and the United States of America. In that match, a very determined USA searched hard to successfully register a historic win against an unaware Spain.
Apart from playing host to the semi-final between the Spanish and the Americans, the Free State Stadium has also hosted numerous rugby union and football matches. Vodacom Park, another name for the Free Stadium, even hosted a few matches of the African Cup of Nations and the 1995 Rugby World Cup. The creation of the Bloemfontein Celtic, a hugely popular football club, helped increase the passion for football amongst the locals and even highlighted the importance of the Free State Stadium. The Free Stadium is the home stadium to the Bloemfontein Celtic, the Free State Cheetahs and the Central Cheetahs. The city of Mangaung / Bloemfontein is noted for being home to South Africa’s most passionate football fans.
The Free Stadium boasts of a new scoreboard, CCTV cameras, an upgraded sound system and floodlights. Playing cricket, hockey, tennis and swimming have now also been made possible at Mangaung / Bloemfontein’s Free State Stadium.
Matches To Be Held At The Free State Stadium
The schedule for the matches to be held at the Free State Stadium is given below.
| Date | Stage | Match |
| June 14th | Group E | Japan Vs Cameroon |
| June 17th | Group B | Greece Vs Nigeria |
| June 20th | Group F | Slovakia Vs Paraguay |
| June 22nd | Group A | France Vs South Africa |
| June 25th | Group H | Switzerland Vs Honduras |
| June 27th | Round of 16 | 1D Vs 2C |
Green Point Stadium
Located in one of Cape Town’s most prominent areas, the Green Point Stadium makes for an extremely advantageous stadium that was built specially for the purpose of hosting the FIFA World 2010 matches. The stadium during the planning process was also referred to as the African Renaissance Stadium.
The stadium found itself courting controversy when there were protests against it being built in a predominantly white part of Cape Town. Work at the stadium often also went through patches of delay due to strikes against low wages paid to workers. However, the stadium capable of hosting a capacity crowd of 68,000 fans was fortunate enough to be completed on time. It will play host to one of the two semifinals of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
The Green Point Stadium is believed to be one of the most modern stadia in the world. It boasts of a retractable 37,000 square-meter roof that weighs 4500 tons. The state-of-the-art roof has 360 inner spotlights and permits more natural light to fall on the surface of the pitch. The stadium fulfills green standards on the allocation and reusability of resources and is also surrounded by a 60-hectare urban park.
The venue apart from hosting the matches, will also host concerts and other major events. The stadium lays claim to the privileged distinction of being located a few minutes away from the ocean. Cape Town’s transportation hub is also just a short walk away from the Green Point Stadium. The land (Green Point Common) on which stadium is built on was originally much larger than it is now. It actually stretched out from the city towards Sea Point, but this was only before the Green Point Stadium was built on it.
Matches To Be Held At The Green Point Stadium
The schedule for the matches to be held at the Green Point Stadium is given below.
| Date | Stage | Match |
| June 11 | Group A | Uruguay Vs France |
| June 14 | Group F | Italy Vs Paraguay |
| June 18 | Group C | England Vs Algeria |
| June 21 | Group G | Portugal Vs Korea DPR |
| June 24 | Group E | Cameroon Vs Netherlands |
| June 29 | Round of 16 | 1H Vs 2G |
| July 03 | Quarter-finals | W52 Vs W51 |
| July 06 | Semi-finals | W58 Vs W57 |
Loftus Versfeld Stadium
The Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Tshwane/ Pretoria enjoys the distinction of being one of South Africa’s oldest stadiums. The stadium was first built in 1903 and since then has been hosting both small and large sporting events. The stadium’s first stand was erected in 1923 and was funded by the City Council of Pretoria. The stand back then could only put with up around 2000 spectators. The Loftus Versfeld Stadium from the year 1948 onwards underwent a series of renovations, and now stands tall as a world-class stadium that’s worthy of hosting a FIFA World Cup match.
Both rugby and football matches have been played at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium. The stadium is home to the Blue Bulls, an extremely popular South African rugby team. It is also the home ground of two local football teams, Mamelodi Sundowns and SuperSport United. The Loftus Versfeld Stadium, on any given day, can put up with a capacity crowd of around 50,000 fans. The stadium, in the last century, enjoyed the privilege of playing host to the matches of the 1996 CAF African Cup of Nations and the 1995 Rugby World Cup.
The Loftus Versfeld Stadium occupies a special place in the hearts of South African fans. In the year 1999, it hosted a memorable match between South Africa (Bafana Bafana) and Sweden. South Africa won this match 1-0, and thus registered their first ever win against a European team. South Africa’s historic stadium, for the FIFA 2010 World Cup tournament, will host five group clashes and a second-round match. For the sporting extravaganza, the Loftus Versfeld Stadium received some polishing in the form of a new roof and upgraded floodlights.
| Date | Stage | Match |
| June 13 | Group D | Serbia Vs Ghana |
| June 16 | Group A | South Africa Vs Uruguay |
| June 19 | Group E | Cameroon Vs Denmark |
| June 23 | Group C | USA Vs Algeria |
| June 25 | Group H | Chile Vs Spain |
| June 29 | Round of 16 | 1F Vs 2E |
Mbombela Stadium
The Mbombela Stadium was built at a cost of US$145,000,000 and is located in the city of Nelspruit. The name ‘Mbombela’ in siSwati (one of the 11 official languages in South Africa) literally translates to ‘many people in a small place’. The stadium was specifically built for the purpose of hosting the World Cup and has been nicknamed the ‘Giraffe’. The nickname can be associated with the 18 roof supports of the stadium that resemble the ‘inhabitants’ of South Africa’s world famous Kruger National Park. Reaching the stadium shouldn’t be too much of a bother for tourists and locals alike since it enjoys proximity to the N4.
Before the commencement of work on the Mbombela stadium, the planning and implementation process suffered undue delays since the land on which the stadium is now located on housed a school. The school had to be relocated before beginning work on the stadium. The Mbombela Stadium will also serve as the central point to a number of game parks that tourists can throng. The South African authorities have chosen four sites for park-and-ride purposes. These sites include the Nelspruit Rugby Club, the Agricultural Centre, Bergvlam High School and the Nelspruit High School.
The Mbombela Stadium poses a unique advantage to the spectators who get to watch matches from its front stands. This is because these front stands, between all the World Cup hosting stadiums enjoy the privilege of being located closest to the pitch. The Mbombela Stadium will also add a lot to the football that Nelspruit as a city sees. The city of Nelspruit previously had no world class stadium to talk about, but now has the newly-built Mbombela Stadium to supplement its global image as a FIFA World Cup host city.
Matches To Be Held At The Mbombela Stadium
The schedule for the matches to be held at the Mbombela Stadium is given below.
| Date | Stage | Match |
| June 16 | Group H | Honduras Vs Chile |
| June 20 | Group F | Italy Vs New Zealand |
| June 23 | Group D | Australia Vs Serbia |
| June 25 | Group G | Korea DPR Vs Côte d'Ivoire |
Moses Mabhida Stadium
The Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban was built especially for the 2010 FIFA World Cup tournament. It will play host to five group matches, a second-round match and one of the two semi-finals. The Durban Stadium, arguably, is one of the best looking stadiums in South Africa. The three-tier structure on any given day can play host to a capacity crowd of around 70,000 fans. An estimated US$200,000,000 was spent to turn this surreal stadium into a reality.
The Moses Mabhida Stadium is situated in the Stamford Hill district and also enjoys proximity to the Indian Ocean. The stadium’s biggest attraction is its Wembley-like arch. The two legs of the arch on the southern side of the stadium meet to form a single footing on the northern side of the stadium. The arch is said to symbolize the recently born unity of a South Africa that was once plagued with race wars. The arch will also have a cable car running right through it. The venue is built on the lines of the design of the South African flag, a stadium with a theme, if you will!
The Kings Park Stadium, the stadium that originally stood on the land on which the Durban Stadium is now located, was demolished with 126kg of explosives to accommodate the Durban Stadium. The Durban Stadium now boasts of a football museum, a sports institute, a transport hub and an indoor arena. The area surrounding the stadium is blessed with an abundance of restaurants, children play areas and a walkway that connects the Moses Mabhida Stadium to the beach.
Moses Mabhida, the man who the Durban Stadium is named after, was an anti-apartheid champion. He was born into a poor family in Thornville on 14 October 1923. Mabhida began to play his part for South Africa when he was asked to expand ANC's armed wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), for which he even underwent military training. He then became the MK’s chief political instructor for new military recruiters and also served as a MK commander. The Durban Stadium was built to honor the memory of Moses Mabhida.
Matches To Be Held At The Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban
The schedule for the matches to be held at the Durban Stadium is given below.
| Date | Stage | Match |
| June 13 | Group D | Germany Vs Australia |
| June 16 | Group H | SpainVs Switzerland |
| June 19 | Group E | Netherlands Vs Japan |
| June 22 | Group B | Nigeria Vs Korea Republic |
| June 25 | Group G | Portugal Vs Brazil |
| June 28 | Round of 16 | 1E Vs 2F |
| July 07 | Semi-finals | W59 Vs W60 |
Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium
The ‘spanking new’ Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium is located in the ‘friendly’ South African city of Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth. The stadium was constructed specially for the purpose of hosting the matches of the 2010 FIFA World Cup and was named after Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s legendary statesman. A sum of US$150,000,000 was spent on the construction of this awe-inspiring stadium; it is capable of hosting a capacity crowd of 48,000 fans. The stadium is found in the North End of Port Elizabeth on the scenic shores of the North End Lake.
The Nelson Mandela Stadium with an innovative three-tier design, two rings of sky boxes and a magnificent roof that resembles a wave makes for a stadium that sets standards for stadia all over the world. The stadium was built exclusively for football and will host five first-round matches, a second-round clash, a quarter final and the play off for the third place of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. For the tourists, the stadium is at an extremely strategic location. It’s just a short drive away from the myriad self-catering accommodations and hotels that dot the beachfront. The Nelson Mandela Stadium also offers the privilege of 1,280 general parking bays, but zeroing in on a parking bay on a match day will be almost as good as impossible.
A ‘tester’ of sorts took place when the Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs faced off against each other at the Nelson Mandela Stadium. The two teams are hugely popular in South Africa and a match between the two rivals almost always witnesses capacity crowds. The game would have helped give South African and stadium authorities a hint on what they will have on their hands once the World Cup gets underway.
Matches To Be Held At The Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium
The schedule for the matches to be held at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium is given below.
| Date | Stage | Match |
| June 12 | Group B | Korea Republic Vs Greece |
| June 15 | Group G | Côte d'Ivoire Vs Portugal |
| June 18 | Group D | Germany Vs Serbia |
| June 21 | Group H | Chile Vs Switzerland |
| June 23 | Group C | Slovenia Vs England |
| June 26 | Round of 16 | 1A Vs 2B |
| July 02 | Quarter-finals | W53 Vs W54 |
| July 10 | Match for third place | L61 Vs L62 |
Peter Mokaba Stadium
The Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane stands to represent the history of South Africa. The stadium is named after Peter Mokaba, a man who rose and fought against South Africa’s apartheid regime. The city of Polokwane was home to Peter Mokaba, who is still loved and respected for the role he played in the revolution against the injustices that once plagued South Africa. The Peter Mokaba Stadium now stands tall in honor of the memory of the iconic Peter Mokaba.
Work on the stadium began after taking into consideration the fact that Polokwane had become a FIFA World Cup 2010 host city. The stadium was completed in the beginning of 2010 and can now put up with around 46,000 people. A large sum of around US$154,000,000 was spent on turning the dream of the Peter Mokaba Stadium into a reality. The stadium is designed and built on the lines of the Baobab tree, South Africa’s largest tree. The steel structure that supports the roof of the stadium meets at every corner of the stadium and is held up by giant structures that resemble the trunks of trees. These tree trunks like structures also support service cores and vertical circulation ramps.
The Polokwane Stadium is not far away from the city centre; only a paltry distance of 5kms separates the two from each other. The old Peter Mokaba Stadium will also as a serve as memory for Didier Drogba, Côte d'Ivoire’s star player. Didier Drogba participated in the crucial CAF African Cup of Nations qualifier between Côte d'Ivoire and South Africa. South Africa went on to win this match 2-1.
Matches To Be Held At The Peter Mokaba Stadium
The schedule for the matches to be held at the Peter Mokaba Stadium is given below.
The schedule for the matches to be held at the Peter Mokaba Stadium is given below.
| Date | Stage | Match |
| June 16 | Group H | Honduras Vs Chile |
| June 20 | Group F | Italy Vs New Zealand |
| June 23 | Group D | Australia Vs Serbia |
| June 25 | Group G | Korea DPR Vs Côte d'Ivoire |
Royal Bafokeng Stadium
The Royal Bafokeng Stadium is located in the South African city of Rustenburg and is named after the Bafokeng, a rich and prosperous local tribe. The stadium was recently renovated for the purpose of hosting the FIFA World Cup matches. A sum of roughly around $48 million was spent on upgrading the stadium to its present standards. It now boasts of a new cantilever roof, floodlights, a scoreboard and an extended main stand. The Royal Bafokeng Stadium, in a way, resembles a South American bowl, but with an athletic track, may not promise to be great for the sport of football. Fans of the game will not get a great view of the action on the pitch due to the presence of the athletic track.
The Royal Bafokeng Stadium was sponsored in its entirety by the successful Royal Bafokeng Community and is home to the Platinum Stars, a popular South African football team. For the fans, the organizers and authorities have provided hubs to park cars in. These parking hubs are located on the main roads that lead to Rusty, spectators, on match days, will be expected to get into buses that will ferry them to the stadium. Buses will also traverse from downtown Rustenburg areas to the Royal Bafokeng Stadium. The Royal Bafokeng Stadium, on a match day, can play host to a capacity crowd of around 44,000 fans.
The stadium is mostly remembered for hosting the 2001 FIFA World Cup qualifying match between Bakino Faso and the national team of South Africa. The South Africans went on to win 2-1 against Bakino Faso. Apart from this match, the Royal Bafokeng Stadium has played host to a myriad Premier Soccer League games. The 2010 FIFA World Cup will see the Royal Bafokeng Stadium host five group matches and a second-round clash.
Matches To Be Held At The Royal Bafokeng Stadium
The schedule for the matches to be held at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium is given below.
The schedule for the matches to be held at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium is given below.
| Date | Stage | Match |
| June 12 | Group C | England Vs USA |
| June 15 | Group F | New Zealand Vs Slovakia |
| June 19 | Group D | Ghana Vs Australia |
| June 22 | Group A | Mexico Vs Uruguay |
| June 24 | Group E | Denmark Vs Japan |
| June 26 | Round of 16 | 1C Vs 2D |
Johannesburg’s Soccer City Stadium
Johannesburg’s Soccer City Stadium, arguably, enjoys the distinction of being South Africa’s most impressive stadium. The spectacularly renovated stadium will host the first match and the finals (last match) of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The Soccer City Stadium is the home stadium of the Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa’s biggest home grown football team. A colossal sum of US$310 million was spent on the reconstruction of the stadium for the FIFA World Cup. The stadium, on any given day can play host to a crowd of 94,000 fans, a far cry from the stadium’s previous capacity of 78,000 fans.
The ground of the Soccer City Stadium gains its inspiration from the calabash, the legendary African pot. The ground looks best at night, when the lights of the stadium are turned on. Soccer City is located in the south-western part of Johannesburg and enjoys proximity to Soweto, South Africa’s famous football-crazy township. The closeness to Soweto on match days will lead to a constant flow of a large number of fans into the stadium. The stadium also boasts of maintaining a parking area that can put up with around 15,000 cars. However, due to the frenzy that will surround the stadium on a match day, it is best reached by a park and ride bus.
A lot of money has gone into giving the Soccer City Stadium the facelift that it now enjoys. It comprises done up VIP areas, reconstructed changing rooms, a new encircling roof, upgraded floodlights and the highly sophisticated outer terracotta shell, the calabash. The Soccer City stadium is also known as the FNB Stadium.
Matches To Be Held At The Soccer City Stadium
The schedule for the matches to be held at the Soccer City Stadium is given below.
The schedule for the matches to be held at the Soccer City Stadium is given below.
| Date | Stage | Match |
| June 11 | Group A | South Africa Vs Mexico |
| June 14 | Group E | Netherlands Vs Denmark |
| June 17 | Group B | Argentina Vs Korea Republic |
| June 20 | Group G | Brazil Vs Côte d'Ivoire |
| June 23 | Group D | Ghana Vs Germany |
| June 27 | Round of 16 | 1B Vs 2A |
| July 02 | Quarter-finals | W49 Vs W50 |
| July 11 | Final | W61 Vs W62 |
