South Africa Stadium

Free State

The Free State Stadium located in the city of Bloemfontein –which takes the name of the province in which is build- is also known as the Vodacom Park Stadium. The stadium usually used for the rugby union and is one of the host venues for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup and the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The stadium was remodeled in 1995 to host the Rugby World Cup and it was remodeled once again in advance of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, a second tier will be added to the main grandstand on the western side of the ground, increasing the net capacity from 36,538 to 48,000- mark required for venues to stage 1st and 2nd round matches. Additionally, new turnstiles will be erected, the floodlights will be upgraded, electronic scoreboards will be installed, the sound system will be revamped to the required standards, Closed Circuit TV and the media facilities will be improved. Bloemfontein is to receive R221 million to upgrade the stadium. Though cost estimates are at R245 million, the city has decided to stand in for the R24m shortfall The Free State Stadium is expected to be one of major focuses when the first and second rounds of the 2010 FIFA World Cup are played.

Green Point

Greenpoint is a Stadium located in the Cape Town, specially built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup which will be held in South Africa. The construction was made on a former golf course and the stadium is to be located in Green Point, between Signal Hill and the Atlantic Ocean, close to the Cape Town city centre and to the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, a popular tourist and shopping venue. Its construction was in charge of “GMP Architects”, “Louis Karol Architects” and “Point Architects”. During the planning stage it was referred to by some as the African Renaissance Stadium. The architects managed to create a structure to endure the most adverse weather conditions, such as the Cape Doctor, a persistent and dry south-easterly wind that blows on the South African coast from spring to late summer Thus, City of Cape Town managed to build Greenpoint, the second largest stadium for the upcoming FIFA 2010 World Cup. The stadium will contain 68,000 seats, divided in three tiers: lower tier for 24.00 and two upper tiers for 23.000 spectators. However, after the World Cup, the plan is to reduce the capacity to 55 000 by removing the upper tier. $386 million were invested in this sports complex, in which eight matches will be played –including one semifinal. The construction was due to 2008, but a study an environmental impact study brought along some complications. Moreover, the financing system raised the stadium budget and the government had no other choice but to extend the completion of the stadium.

Moses Mabhida

The Moses Mabhida Stadium is one of the five hosting stadiums for the 2010 FIFA World Cup held in South Africa. The stadium is adjacent to the ABSA Stadium, in the Kings Park Sporting Precinct. A 350m long free and 105m high span arch will hold up the roof of the stadium, the top of the arch will rise to 106 m above the pitch. A funicular will carry visitors from the north side of the stadium to a viewing platform at the top of the arch where they can get out and enjoy breathtaking, panoramic views of the city and ocean. The design was in charge of the Hamburg architecture firm Gerkan, Marg and Partners. The stadium demanded 230 million Euros and has a planned capacity of 70,000 during the World Cup and 54,000 afterwards. The stadium is adjacent to the ABSA Stadium, in the Kings Park Sporting Precinct, and the Durban street circuit used for the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport. It includes an adjoining indoor arena, football museum, sports institute, and a transmodal transport station. Demolition of the existing Kings Park Soccer Stadium which was estimated to cost R2,5-Billion has been completed and construction is in progress. The Stadium will host five group games, one second round game, one quarter-final and a semi-final match. The stadium was named after Moses Mabhida, a former General Secretary of the SACP (South African Communist Party).

Soccer City

Located in Johannesburg, the largest and most populated City of South Africa, the FNB Stadium or Soccer City was completely remodeled to be one of the two stadiums that will host the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The stadium was renovated in July 2009 and it will hold the opening match, four more first-round matches, one second-round match, one quarter-final, as well as and the final match. The Soccer City stadium is to undergo a major upgrade for the 2010 tournament, with a new design inspired by traditional African pottery. The upper tier will be extended around the stadium to increase the capacity to 94,700 with an extra 99 Executive suites, an encircling roof will be constructed, new changing room facilities will be developed and new floodlights will be installed. The number of suites in this stadium is being increased to 195. Being the artistic epicenter of the World Cup and most African inspired stadium, the outside of the stadium is designed to have the appearance of an African cooking pot, the cladding on the outside is a mosaic of fire and earthen colors with a ring of lights running around the bottom of the structure, simulating fire underneath the pot.

Ellis Park

Johannesburg is the largest and most populated city of South Africa and as such, it´s the only city that features two stadiums to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup matches. The most important stadium for the upcoming 2010 World Cup is Soccer city, but the second, located at most powerful commercial centre on the African continent in the City of Gold, is Ellis Park Stadium which is now called Coca-Cola Park due to a rights deal with the Coca-Cola Company in 2008. Contrary to other stadiums of the 2010 World Cup, Ellis Park didn´t have major renovations since in 1995, rugby fever hit the country with South Africa's hosting of the Rugby World Cup, the biggest event on the rugby calendar. Ellis Park was the venue for the 1995 Rugby World Cup final which was played on 24 June 1995. The renovations of Ellis Park finished in July2009 with new commodities. Coca-Cola Park will host five group games, one second round game and one quarter-final of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, for which its capacity will be increased by 5,000 seats on the northern side only, to 65,000. Areas like the Presidential suite are already receiving a facelift. There will also be a hospitality room and new changing rooms.

Mbombela

The Mbombela Stadium -one of the five stadiums exclusively built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup held in south Africa- will be located on open land six kilometers west of the city of Nelspruit in the Crocodile River Valley and it´s close to the Kruger National Park so it is apt that the stadium reflects this inter-relation. The bowl design aimed to put every seat as close as practical to the field action and maintain excellent sightlines over the heads of spectators. The seating is divided into 3 tiers with 21,000 lower tier, 3,500 middle tier and 19,000 on the upper tier. The multi-purpose stadium, which is expected to host key soccer and rugby matches, will also be equipped with conference facilities. The R1,050-million sports facility set to be ready for use by late 2009 well ahead of the June 2010 World Cup kickoff and has been made possible through national government funding. It was designed by R&L Architects. The 1,450 tonne roof covers an area of 22,500 square meters and will cover 95% of the seats. The roof is 35m above the pitch half of which is translucent to maximize sunlight to the pitch and to lighten the seating bowl. The roof floats free from the top of the seating bowl with a 6m gap to provide ventilation in the hot climate and also to provide views to the surrounding hills from the seating bowl. The stadium was named Mbombela Stadium since the municipality of the city of Nelspruit is also called Mbombela, but the name was also chosen since the community which the municipality belongs to is also called Mbombela, which in Swati (one of the eleven official languages of South Africa.) means “A lot of people together in a small space”.

Peter Mokaba

The Peter Mokaba Stadium is located in the north area of the city of Polokwane, -Limpopo Province. It´s is one of the five stadiums exclusively built to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup held in South Africa. Its construction was in change of AFL Architects and the design of the largely concrete structure is inspired by the locally iconic Baobab tree, with the steel structure supporting the roof plane gathered together at each corner of the stadium and supported by giant ‘trunk' structures which accommodate vertical circulation ramps and service cores. Its investment demanded 90 million Euros approximately and has a total seating capacity of 45,000, who will witness four 2010 World Cup matches. On the other hand, Limpopo Province has the largest number of South African football players, therefore it is expected that this giant work serves as a reference for football fans in the area. It was named for Peter Mokaba, a former leader of the ANC Youth League who fought against racial segregation and the establishment of the apartheid regime.

Nelson Mandela Bay

Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium is one of the stadiums built in anticipation of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Set on the shores of the North End Lake, Port Elizabeth, the stadium features a detailed design to comfortably sit 48.459 spectators. The stadium building is approximately 40m high and consists of six levels on the western side in addition to five on each of the north, south and east stands. The stadium will have an eye-catching, unique roof-structure and a spectacular view, overlooking the North End Lake. There are not many stadiums in the world that are designed and constructed overlooking a lake; this in itself is a very distinctive feature of the Nelson Mandela Bay Multi-Purpose Stadium. The Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium was the first of five new stadiums to start construction. The stadium cost 1.1 billion Rand (approximately $150m USD) and seats 45 000 in addition to 4 000 extra seats which will be temporarily installed for the World Cup. It boasts 150 VIP suites, 60 business suites, a sports clothing shop, gymnasium, 500 parking bays, plus lecture and function rooms The five-tier stadium will host 8 games during the tournament. It will host 5 group games, as well as knock out games. A round of 16 games, a quarterfinal and the 3rd/4th playoff will be played at the stadium. The name of the stadium was due to the president Nelson Mandela, the first South African president chosen democratically, who was awarded with the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.

Royal Bafokeng

With a capacity for 42.000 spectators, the Royal Bafokeng Stadium is located in Phokeng near Rustenburg. Used for rugby union, football (soccer) and athletics, Royal Bafokeng Stadium is the sixth stadium chosen to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup. It will host four first and two second round matches at the FIFA World Cup. Although the capacity of the stadium was increased from 38,000 to 42,000 and the main west stand was substantially upgraded and enlarged and given a new cantilever roof at a cost of US$45million, no other major upgrades were made to the stadium. Other improvements include the installation of new electronic scoreboards, new seats, the upgrading of the floodlights and public address system which will render the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace ready to welcome the football supporters of the world. The Stadium upgrade was completed in March 2009 for hosting 4 matches of the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup. The original design of the Royal Bafokeng Stadium –built in 1999- displays a perfect attunement with the area and it´s located below the Magaliesberg mountain range, in the North West Province, South Africa

Loftus Versfeld

Loftus Versfeld Stadium is one of the venues that will host the 2010 FIFA World Cup. It´s located in the center of city of Pretoria, the administrative capital of South Africa. The project included building an overhead pedestrian linkage between the University of Pretoria/Loftus Station and Loftus Versfeld Stadium Field started being used for sport in 1906, and was known as the "Eastern Sports Ground" and had a capacity for 2.000 sets, but throughout the years major upgrades were made. In order to qualify for selection as a first and second round venue the floodlights, sound system and scoreboard will be upgraded and designated media areas will be constructed in the lower level of the west stand and the stadium currently supports 52 sets and it was the 2010 World Cup to finish its construction first. Loftus is also the home ground of the Blue Bulls franchise in South Africa's Currie Cup. The stadium has currently been upgraded as part of the 2010 Soccer World Cup, with new roofing on the eastern stand as well as roads and parking facilities around it. The Loftus Versfeld Stadium will host five first round matches and one match prior to the quarter finals. The stadium was named after Robert Owen Loftus Versfeld, the founder of organized sports in Pretoria. Through the years the stadium has undergone various name changes as sponsors came and went, though locals have always referred to the stadium as Loftus Versfeld.