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Chapter 02 · The Venues

The Ten Stadiums

Nine cities. Ten cathedrals of football. Built and rebuilt to show the world what Africa could do.

10Stadiums
9Host Cities
94,736Largest Capacity
5Brand New Builds

When South Africa won the bid in 2004, the country had no stadium that met FIFA's 2010 requirements. What followed was one of the most ambitious construction and renovation programmes in African sporting history — five entirely new stadiums, five comprehensively rebuilt ones, all completed between 2006 and 2010. Each venue tells its own story of a city and a country transforming itself for the world's gaze.

Host Cities

The nine cities hosting matches spanned the full breadth of South Africa — from Cape Town on the Atlantic coast to Nelspruit on the Mozambique border.

🏙️ Johannesburg (×2) 🌊 Cape Town 🌊 Durban 🏛️ Pretoria ⚖️ Bloemfontein 🌿 Nelspruit 🌅 Port Elizabeth ⛏️ Rustenburg 🌄 Polokwane
🏟️ Final · Opening
Johannesburg, Gauteng
Soccer City (FNB Stadium)
The Calabash — named for its shape, inspired by an African cooking pot. South Africa's largest stadium, rebuilt from 80,000 to nearly 95,000 capacity. The spiritual home of South African football and the stage for both the opening match and the World Cup final.
Capacity: 94,736 Built: 1989, rebuilt 2010 Status: Existing — renovated
Key Matches
Opening Match: South Africa 1–1 Mexico
QF: Argentina 0–4 Germany
Final: Spain 1–0 Netherlands (AET)
🌊 Semi-Final
Cape Town, Western Cape
Cape Town Stadium
Built new on the site of the old Green Point Stadium, with Table Mountain as its backdrop. A striking oval design that became one of the most photographed venues of the tournament. Renamed after the event from its tournament name "Green Point Stadium".
Capacity: 64,100 Built: New build, 2010 Status: New construction
Key Matches
Group D: Germany 4–0 Australia
R16: Ghana 2–1 USA (AET)
SF: Netherlands 3–2 Uruguay
🌊 Semi-Final
Durban, KwaZulu-Natal
Moses Mabhida Stadium
Named after a leading anti-apartheid activist, this magnificent new stadium is topped by a great arch from which fans can ride a cable car. The arch is designed to echo the colours of the South African flag. Considered by many the most architecturally striking venue of 2010.
Capacity: 62,760 Built: New build, 2010 Status: New construction
Key Matches
Group G: Brazil 2–1 South Korea
R16: South Korea 1–2 Uruguay
SF: Germany 0–1 Spain
🏛️ Quarter-Final
Pretoria / Tshwane, Gauteng
Loftus Versfeld Stadium
One of South Africa's most storied sports grounds, originally built in 1906. Home to the Blue Bulls rugby team and Mamelodi Sundowns FC. Extensively renovated for 2010, with new stands and expanded facilities. One of the oldest grounds used in the tournament.
Capacity: 49,365 Built: 1906, rebuilt 2009 Status: Existing — renovated
Key Matches
Group C: England 0–0 Algeria
Group F: Italy 1–1 New Zealand
QF: Brazil 2–1 Chile... wait — Brazil 3–0 Chile
🏙️ Quarter-Final
Johannesburg (East), Gauteng
Ellis Park Stadium
The first Ellis Park was built in 1928 — one of the oldest stadiums in Africa. Famously the site of the 1995 Rugby World Cup final, where Mandela wore the Springbok jersey. Renovated again for 2010. Hosted some of the tournament's most dramatic group-stage results.
Capacity: 55,686 Built: 1928, renovated 2010 Status: Existing — renovated
Key Matches
Group B: Argentina 1–0 Nigeria
Group F: Slovakia 3–2 Italy
QF: Uruguay 1–1 Ghana (AET, pen 4–2)
🌅 3rd Place
Port Elizabeth / Gqeberha, Eastern Cape
Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium
Built new and named after the most famous son of the Eastern Cape. Mandela was born in the Eastern Cape province, making this naming especially poignant. The stadium's distinctive floodlight towers were inspired by the reeds found in nearby river estuaries.
Capacity: 46,082 Built: New build, 2009 Status: New construction
Key Matches
Group D: Ghana 1–1 Australia
R16: Spain 1–0 Portugal
3rd Place: Germany 3–2 Uruguay
⚖️ R16
Bloemfontein / Mangaung, Free State
Free State Stadium
Home of the Bloemfontein Celtic and Free State Stars clubs, this existing stadium was renovated and expanded. It hosted the most famous match of the group stage for English fans: the 4–1 defeat by Germany in the Round of 16, later dubbed one of England's worst World Cup performances.
Capacity: 45,058 Built: 1952, renovated 2010 Status: Existing — renovated
Key Matches
Group C: USA 1–0 Algeria
Group H: Spain 0–1 Switzerland
R16: Germany 4–1 England
🌿 Group Stage
Nelspruit / Mbombela, Mpumalanga
Mbombela Stadium
One of the most visually striking new builds of the tournament. The stadium's external pillars are designed to evoke giraffes — a nod to the wildlife of the surrounding Lowveld region, gateway to Kruger National Park. Built to bring World Cup football to a part of South Africa that had never seen it.
Capacity: 40,929 Built: New build, 2010 Status: New construction
Key Matches
Group F: New Zealand 1–1 Slovakia
Group G: Ivory Coast 0–0 Portugal
Group H: Switzerland 0–0 Honduras
⛏️ R16
Rustenburg, North West Province
Royal Bafokeng Stadium
Home of the Royal Bafokeng Nation — a community that used royalties from platinum mining to fund remarkable development, including this stadium. An existing venue comprehensively rebuilt, it was one of the most dramatic renovation projects. The Bafokeng community's story of self-funded development resonated globally.
Capacity: 42,959 Built: 1999, rebuilt 2010 Status: Existing — major rebuild
Key Matches
Group A: South Africa 0–3 Uruguay
Group E: Netherlands 2–0 Denmark
R16: Argentina 3–1 Mexico
🌄 Group Stage
Polokwane / Limpopo
Peter Mokaba Stadium
Named after a prominent ANC youth leader and anti-apartheid activist. A new build in the country's northernmost host city, close to the Zimbabwe border. Its completion brought World Cup football to the Limpopo region for the first time. Distinctive for its colourful exterior cladding visible from miles around.
Capacity: 41,733 Built: New build, 2010 Status: New construction
Key Matches
Group A: France 0–2 Mexico
Group B: South Korea 2–0 Greece
Group E: Japan 1–0 Cameroon
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