Soccer 2010

UPDATE:

The long awaited African inauguration of the biggest show on earth, the FIFA 2010 World Cup, will be contested by the international giants of football at ten venues spread across the “Rainbow Nation”.

Nine South African cities will open their hearts and minds to an anticipated armada of soccer fans, with the economic capital of the country, Egoli “City of Gold”, best known as Johannesburg, hosting both the opening and closing battles for world football supremacy at two different venues. The sheer distance between stadiums arguably warrants a dedicated travel itinerary to prevent international and local visitors missing even a second of an event that only happens every four years. Just as the recently closing Vancouver winter Olympic games and the upcoming Sochi 2014 games in Russia, only happens every four years and is a massive event.

Helicopter transfers transporting guests from the national airports or their luxury accommodation directly to the game, or as near as possible to the stadium, is already becoming a popular transport alternative for fans intent on following their chosen teams around this stunning country, South Africa.

JOHANNESBURG

Johannesburg, the economic and transport hub of South Africa, has been selected to host two of the most important encounters at two distinct venues:

Soccer City

Soccer City, also known as the FNB Stadium, has undergone an extensive face lift with the extension of the upper tier all around the stadium is to increase seating to 94 500 spectators. With new changing rooms, floodlights and a state-of-the-art roof to keep spectators dry should it rain are only a few of additions to a design based on the traditional African pot. The stadium is located 8kms from the central business district and is close to Gold Reef City and the NASREC National Exhibition Center.

Ellis Park

Ellis Park, also close to the city center, is in the process of a massive two billion Rand upgrade that will include new upper tiers behind each goal. The stadium’s seating capacity is expected to be increased to about 70 000 in anticipation of a semi-final match.
Ellis Park was originally built in 1928 as a rugby union stadium. In 1982 it was demolished and rebuilt, again exclusively for rugby. A Johannesburg city councilor, JD Ellis, who approved the use of the land for a stadium, setting aside a full 13 acres and thus getting its name Ellis Park.

DURBAN
The Moses Mabhida Stadium

The Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban is under construction but is set to host a thrilling semi-final match. The design is dominated completely by the 106m high center arch that will be linked to the ground by a cable car, allowing visitors sweeping views of the KZN coastline. Dedicated buses and trains to the new Kings Park Railway station, will ferry guests to and from this stunning new Stadium.

CAPE TOWN
Green Point Stadium

Without doubt, the newly constructed Green Point Stadium in Cape Town, is the flagship stadium. Situated on the Green Point common between Table Bay and Table Mountain, the stadium is expected to host 9 matches, including a quarter and semifinal match. Defined by a sweeping silhouette, the stadium was designed so as not to detract from Table Mountain, the icon of Africa, but rather to enhance it. The stadium will have a seating capacity of 68 000 once complete.

BLOEMFONTEIN
Free State Stadium

NELSPRUIT
Mbombela Stadium

The stadium is located in the city of Nelspruit in Mpumalanga, with a seating capacity of 46,000. It is situated approximately 7 kilometers from the city center and 12 kilometers from the Kruger-Mpumalanga Airport. The stadium is also in close proximity to various game parks, giving spectators the opportunity to see the wildlife during non-game days.

POLOKWANE
Peter Mokaba Stadium

The design of the mostly concrete structure was inspired by the local iconic Baobab tree, with steel structures supporting the roof plane gathered together at each corner, and supported by giant ‘trunk’ structure which accommodates vertical circulation ramps and service cores. The stadium was built next to the old Stadium in Polokwane in the Limpopo Province. The newly built Peter Mokaba stadium is situated approximately five kilometers from the city center, with a seating capacity of 45,000.

PORT ELIZABETH
Nelson Mandela Stadium

The Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium will host the third place game, and a quarter final amid a total of eight matches during the 2010 World Cup. The stadium has an eye catching roof structure and a spectacular view overlooking the North End Lake. Before the construction of this multi purpose stadium, all international football matches were played at the Eastern Province rugby stadium. The playing field is natural grass while the surrounding area is to be artificial grass.

PRETORIA
Loftus Versfeld Stadium

Loftus Versfeld Stadium, situated in Pretoria, is one of the oldest stadiums in SA. Since 1903, the stadium has been used for major sporting events and the first concrete structure, which had a capacity of only 2000 spectators, was built by the City Council of Pretoria in 1923. Loftus Versfeld is in the heart of Pretoria and now has a seating capacity of 50,000. It has hosted many important matches including the 1995 Rugby World Cup and 1996 CAF African Cup of Nations. South Africa’s Bafana Bafana achieved its first ever victory over a European side at Loftus Versfeld when they beat Sweden by one goal to nil in 1999.

RUSTENBERG
Royal Bafokeng Stadium

The Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace is one of the stadiums to host matches during 2010 World Cup, despite Rustenburg not having its own team . The stadium is named after the Bafokeng people who live in the area. Once complete, the stadium will have a seating capacity of 42 000. The stadium is twenty five minute drive to Sun City and half an hour to the Pilansberg mountains. It is twelve kms from the Rustenburg CBD.

MATCH DATES & VENUES

Group A

Match	Date – Time	Venue			Results
1	11/06 16:00	Johannesburg – JSC		South Africa	1-1	Mexico
2	11/06 20:30	Cape Town		Uruguay	0-0	France
17	16/06 20:30	Tshwane/Pretoria		South Africa	-	Uruguay
18	17/06 20:30	Polokwane		France	-	Mexico
33	22/06 16:00	Rustenburg		Mexico	-	Uruguay
34	22/06 16:00	Mangaung / Bloemfontein		France	-	South Africa

Group B

Match	Date – Time	Venue			Results
3	12/06 16:00	Johannesburg – JEP		Argentina	-	Nigeria
4	12/06 13:30	Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth		Korea Republic	2-0	Greece
19	17/06 16:00	Mangaung / Bloemfontein		Greece	-	Nigeria
20	17/06 13:30	Johannesburg – JSC		Argentina	-	Korea Republic
35	22/06 20:30	Durban		Nigeria	-	Korea Republic
36	22/06 20:30	Polokwane		Greece	-	Argentina

Group C

Match	Date – Time	Venue			Results
5	12/06 20:30	Rustenburg		England	0-1	USA
6	13/06 13:30	Polokwane		Algeria	0-1	Slovenia
22	18/06 16:00	Johannesburg – JEP		Slovenia	-	USA
23	18/06 20:30	Cape Town		England	-	Algeria
37	23/06 16:00	Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth		Slovenia	-	England
38	23/06 16:00	Tshwane/Pretoria		USA	-	Algeria

Group D

Match	Date – Time	Venue			Results
7	13/06 20:30	Durban		Germany	4-0	Australia
8	13/06 16:00	Tshwane/Pretoria		Serbia	0-1	Ghana
21	18/06 13:30	Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth		Germany	-	Serbia
24	19/06 16:00	Rustenburg		Ghana	-	Australia
39	23/06 20:30	Johannesburg – JSC		Ghana	-	Germany
40	23/06 20:30	Nelspruit		Australia	-	Serbia

Group E

Match	Date – Time	Venue			Results
9	14/06 13:30	Johannesburg – JSC		Netherlands	2-0	Denmark
10	14/06 16:00	Mangaung / Bloemfontein		Japan	1-0	Cameroon
25	19/06 13:30	Durban		Netherlands	-	Japan
26	19/06 20:30	Tshwane/Pretoria		Cameroon	-	Denmark
43	24/06 20:30	Rustenburg		Denmark	-	Japan
44	24/06 20:30	Cape Town		Cameroon	-	Netherlands

Group F

Match	Date – Time	Venue			Results
11	14/06 20:30	Cape Town		Italy	-	Paraguay
12	15/06 13:30	Rustenburg		New Zealand	-	Slovakia
27	20/06 13:30	Mangaung / Bloemfontein		Slovakia	-	Paraguay
28	20/06 16:00	Nelspruit		Italy	-	New Zealand
41	24/06 16:00	Johannesburg – JEP		Slovakia	-	Italy
42	24/06 16:00	Polokwane		Paraguay	-	New Zealand

Group G

Match	Date – Time	Venue			Results
13	15/06 16:00	Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth		Côte d’Ivoire	-	Portugal
14	15/06 20:30	Johannesburg – JEP		Brazil	-	Korea DPR
29	20/06 20:30	Johannesburg – JSC		Brazil	-	Côte d’Ivoire
30	21/06 13:30	Cape Town		Portugal	-	Korea DPR
45	25/06 16:00	Durban		Portugal	-	Brazil
46	25/06 16:00	Nelspruit		Korea DPR	-	Côte d’Ivoire

Group H

Match	Date – Time	Venue			Results
15	16/06 13:30	Nelspruit		Honduras	-	Chile
16	16/06 16:00	Durban		Spain	-	Switzerland
31	21/06 16:00	Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth		Chile	-	Switzerland
32	21/06 20:30	Johannesburg – JEP		Spain	-	Honduras
47	25/06 20:30	Tshwane/Pretoria		Chile	-	Spain
48	25/06 20:30	Mangaung / Bloemfontein		Switzerland	-	Honduras