2010 FIFA Word Cup

0: Cape Town

One of the most artistic football venues in South Africa, the newly-built Green Point Stadium is situated in one of the much sought-after areas in the city of Cape Town. Green Point Stadium is one of the two semi-final venues for the FIFA World Cup. This multi-purpose venue is also going to be used to stage major events and concerts. Fans will be a stone's throw from the ocean and the mountains of Cape Town will also provide the backdrop for matches. The location is ideal as it is a short walk from the transportation hub of the city. The new stadium has been partly built on land that was previously used as a golf course. The stadium, which has an exterior that is covered with noise-reducing cladding has a capacity of 70,000 and is scheduled for completion in December 2009. The Green Point Common, on which the new 2010 stadium is being built, was originally much larger than what now remains, and included most of the land between the sea and Signal Hill, stretching from the city centre towards Sea Point. Cape Town has another world-standard stadium, Newlands, but this is primarily used as a rugby union venue; Post FIFA World Cup, the Green Point Stadium is likely to be used by some of the Cape Town-based professional football outfits that include Ajax Cape Town and Santos.

1: Port Elizabeth

The Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, set on the shores of the North End Lake is the first football dedicated stadium in the city or surrounding areas. The stadium, one of the newly-built stadiums for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, was completed a year prior to the commencement of the world's greatest show on earth - a major milestone for the city.

The Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium will host the match for third place , and a quarter-final amid a total of eight matches during the FIFA World Cup. The stadium has an eye-catching, unique roof-structure and a spectacular view, overlooking the North End Lake.

Before the construction of this multi-purpose venue, all international football matches were played at the Eastern Province rugby stadium, the EPRU Stadium. The playing field is going to be of natural grass with the outer /surrounding area to be artificial turf. One of its first major test events was the coveted Soweto Derby between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs - a game that attracts capacity crowds in South Africa.

2: Moses Mabhida

The newly-built Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban will host one of the semi-finals of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. The ground epitomises the architectural innovation on display in South Africa and takes its design inspiration from the South African flag, with its grand arch representing the unity of this sport-loving nation. The two legs of the arch on the southern side of the stadium come together to form a single footing on the northern side, symbolising the new unity of a once-divided country.

The 70,000-seater has been specifically designed as a multi-purpose venue and an amphitheatre complete with a cable car which ascends to a viewing platform at the top of the expansive 350m arch, a staggering 106m above the pitch. From this vantage point, visitors can experience spectacular panoramic views of the nearby shoreline and the city. The roof is attached to the arch by 95mm-diameter steel cables. Each seat of the stadium is spacious and comfortable, providing a clear line of sight to the pitch.

It is a world-class and multifunctional arena located in the heart of the Kings Park Sporting Precinct. Durban's Moses Mabhida Stadium will be the jewel in the crown of the Kings Park Sporting precinct. The entire area will feature additional sporting arenas and facilities as well as restaurants, shops, play areas for children and a pedestrian walkway linking the stadium complex to the beach.

The stadium was built on the site of the old Kings Park Stadium. Moses Mabhida, the ground''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''s namesake, was born in Thornville near Pietermaritzburg on 14 October 1923 into a poor family who were later forced off their land. In 1963, Mabhida was asked by Oliver Tambo while working in Prague rallying support from the World Federation of Trade Unions, to come back to Africa to develop the ANC''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''s armed wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK). He underwent military training and became the chief political instructor of new military recruits. He later served as the commander of MK.

3: Free State

4: Ellis Park

Ellis Park Stadium is located in the centre of Johannesburg and has hosted many epic sporting events including the final of the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup between Brazil and the United States. The ground was given a significant face-lift before the Confederations Cup finals and now seats 62,000 fans, increasing its capacity by almost nine per cent from the previous 57,000.

Ellis Park was first built in 1928 as a rugby union stadium. It was demolished and rebuilt in 1982, again exclusively for rugby. It was named after JD Ellis, a Johannesburg city councilor who approved the use of the land for a stadium, setting aside a full 13 acres.

The ground will always occupy a special place in the hearts of the country''''''''''''''''s sporting fans after the South African rugby team shocked New Zealand to lift the 1995 Rugby World Cup trophy soon after being allowed back onto the world sporting stage. It was a moment that brought the people of South Africa together in celebration as the iconic scenes of Nelson Mandela holding aloft the trophy at Ellis Park were beamed around the world.

The largest piece of construction has been the new tier on the north stand which has increased the seating capacity to 62,000. With state-of-the-art media facilities, team whirlpools, top-class VIP areas for dignitaries, accessibility for disabled fans, a new pitch and a top-notch audio-visual setup to keep the fans informed during the game, no one will be left disappointed.

Ellis Park is home to one of the country''''''''''''''''s most popular clubs, Orlando Pirates FC.

5: Royal Bafokeng

6: Soccer City

One of the most artistic and awe-inspiring football venues on the African continent, the newly-reconstructed Soccer City Stadium will host the first and final matches of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™.

The ground''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''s design is inspired by the iconic African pot known as the calabash, and its aesthetic appeal will be heightened when the stadium is lit at night. Soccer City is located in Johannesburg''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''s southwest and is only a short distance from one of the country''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''s football-crazy townships, Soweto. About 40 per cent of Johannesburg''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''s population live in Soweto and this proximity is bound to make the stadium a hub of activity throughout the 2010 finals.

The stadium is widely regarded as the heart of football in South Africa as it has hosted many important matches through history. In the mid 1980s, officials came together to build the first international football stadium in the country and the construction was funded from the football fraternity''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''s coffers. Soccer City hosted the first mass rally of Nelson Mandela after his release from prison in 1990. Thousands of mourners lamented Chris Hani''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''s assassination at the stadium in 1993. It was also the venue for the 1996 CAF African Cup of Nations final, with South Africa eventually triumphing 2-0 over Tunisia.

The original stadium, which was known as the FNB Stadium, had a capacity of 80,000. Upgrades involved extending the upper tier to increase the capacity to 94,700; adding 99 more suites to bring the number to 184; constructing an encircling roof; adding new changing room facilities and installing new floodlighting.

7: Loftus Versfeld

8: Peter Mokaba

9: Mbondela

The Mbombela Stadium is one of the newly-built stadia for the 2010 FIFA World Cur />
The stadium, with a capacity of 46,000, is located in the p South Africa™ and it takes its name from the local municipality which incorporates the city of Nelspruit. Mbombela is siSwati (one of the 11 official languages in South Africa) and literally means ''many people together in a small space.''
The Mbombela comes as a welcome addition to football life in Nelspruit, and will leave a legacy of the beautiful game for all the people of Mpumalanga. Bef