World Cup Stadia 2010: Soccer City Stadium
This is the third in our series of posts on the new stadiums under construction in South Africa for World Cup 2010. See our previous posts on Green Point Stadium and the Moses Mabhida Stadium.
The first and last stadium we will see in the 2010 World Cup is also fittingly the most distinctive: the 91,141 capacity Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg is designed to look like an African cooking pot (calabash), by South African architects Boogertman Urban Edge & Partner. According to the official stadium website, “The façade is made up of a selection of six colours and three textures that make reference to the shades and textures of the calabash.”
Rendering of Soccer City Stadium
This is not a brand new stadium, but a major renovation of the original 70,000-capacity Soccer City Stadium opened in 1989 and home to the Kaiser Chiefs, South Africa’s most popular team.
Soccer City will host the opening game, four other first round games, one second round match and one quarter-final, and the final itself.
Soccer City Stadium Construction. Photo credit:grafikcache on Flickr.
You may have heard about a recent strike by South African construction workers, but this is unlikely to endanger the delivery of Soccer City by the end of the year, as it is already 90% complete, with the German-engineered roof the final stage. With 3,000 construction workers on site, Soccer City has been the world’s biggest stadium construction site for the past three years.
The dark line in the middle points to Berlin.
The dark lines on the outside of the stadium point to the other locations of the stadia being used for the 2010 World Cup, as well as to Berlin, host to the last World Cup final.
Unlike the new stadiums being built in Durban and Cape Stadium, none of the seating is temporary, raising question marks about whether the 91,141 capacity will be utilised consistently after the World Cup finals are over.
Soccer City Stadium. Courtesy Chicaism on Flickr.
Soccer City Stadium does not have the incredible beachfront location of the Moses Mabhida stadium with the backdrop of the Table Mountain; it’s located a few miles from the centre of Johannesburg. The facade, though, ensures it will be the most memorable stadium of the World Cup.
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Tom Dunmore is the founder and editor of Pitch Invasion. Follow him @pitchinvasion on Twitter.
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Thanks for this, Tom! Though I have to disagree about this stadium being the most memorable – I’d give this title to Kapstaad. And as for the temporary seating – not sure if a country like RSA (or Poland for that matter) can afford it. Of course I still have the uncertainty you wrote about as to whether it can be filled frequently and at what cost.
I think setting-wise Cape Town certainly more memorable, but I think design-wise Soccer City is hard to beat though. The temporary seating in Cape Town is going to be converted to seats after the World Cup — I’m not really sure why a similar set-up wasn’t considered for Soccer City, but perhaps it wouldn’t work with the design.
Good again, like the images showing the technical/architectural development of the stadia.
On an interesting postscript, its worth reading Keir Radnege in this months edition of ‘World Soccer’ magazine. It casts some telling insight into SA outwith the stadia. I just wish I could go to South Africa 2010 and spend the whole tournament in the stadia and its immediate vicinity.
Whatever the weather this is a huge opportunity for all of Africa to shine.As for location Cape Town is unbeatable in all aspects,and has attitude experience over other provinces.If there is drama its not going to happen in the bull and ape.Remember,this was the stage for Nelson Mandela’s release,very powerful,always in the minds of the masses around the world.
wow.. great stadium
If any stadium deserves to host final of world cup, it is surely this one.
wonderful!! great stadium