cover story focus on soccer
STADIUMS FOR
THE SOCCER World Cup 2010
Soccer City, johannesburg
Ellis Park, johannesburg
The jewel in South Africa’s crown, Soccer City, which was built in 1987 with a capacity of 94,700 (excluding media and VIPs), is sure to offer a great atmosphere for the lucky few who have tickets. As the stadium to be used for the first game, it will provide an excellent springboard for a magnificent Soccer World Cup tournament. For 2010, the upper tier was been extended around the stadium, an encircling roof constructed, new changing room facilities developed and new floodlights installed.
Ellis Park was constructed in 1982 as a modern, integrated stadium offering outstanding sight lines from every seat. The stadium stands within a world class sporting precinct, barely 15 minutes’ walk from the Johannesburg city centre and offers outstanding office, security and medical features. For 2010, new upper tiers were constructed behind each goal at the north and south ends of the stadium. This will increase the net capacity by 10,149 seats to a total of 60,000. Ellis Park will host one of the quarter finals.
Cape Town
Durban
A new stadium has been built for the Soccer World Cup 2010 in the suburb of Green Point, just 500 metres from the Atlantic Ocean with Table Mountain as a majestic backdrop. The stadium will seat 70,000.
The new Moses Mabhida stadium was built alongside the site of the King’s Park stadium and was designed as a first-class multipurpose sporting facility with a seating capacity of 70,000.
Nelspruit
Rustenburg
The new Mbombela Stadium, which has a capacity of just over 40,000, was specifically constructed to ensure it meets all FIFA requirements and presents a compact and attractive venue for first and second round matches.
Minor renovations brought the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace, which has a capacity of just over 40,000, into line with requirements for a stadium able to host first and second round matches at the Soccer World Cup 2010.
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