2010 Soccer World Cup
With less than a year left until the 2010 FIFA World Cup kicks off, there is no doubt that it is going to be one of the highlights of the year. For exactly one month, starting June 11th and ending July 11th, South Africa will play host to 32 national soccer teams, 3 million visiting fans and 64 world class matches. All of this will take place within the borders of South Africa, at 10 stadiums in 9 of the country’s largest cities. The city of Johannesburg has 2 soccer stadiums worthy of the 2010 World Cup, while the cities of Cape Town, Durban, Bloemfontein, Nelspruit, Polokwane, Port Elizabeth, Pretoria and Rustenburg all have a stadium of their own being used. This massive and truly exciting undertaking has brought South African’s together in a way never seen before in this growing nation. 15 000 volunteers are needed to help make sure the World Cup runs smoothly and it is no surprise that nearly 50 000 people have already signed up to help, with more joining every day.
2010 World Cup Stadiums – Green Point Stadium (Cape Town)
Green Point stadium is possibly one of the most visually stunning and perfectly located stadiums in the world. It is also the only stadium in the world to have a glass roof. Nestled at the base of the world famous Table Mountain and immediately surrounded by a luscious golf course with sandy beaches just a little beyond that, the Green Point stadium is truly a pleasure to behold. It is also conveniently located right next to the V&A Waterfront, one of the major tourist attractions in Cape Town.
This stadium was commissioned for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, however, there are many plans for the environmentally sustainable, technologically advanced, multi-purpose, all-weather stadium. The old Green Point stadium always played host to some of the biggest musical talents ever seen in South Africa and the new stadium will no doubt continue this tradition. The PSL teams Santos and Ajax Cape Town have both been asked to make this their home ground, as have the Western Province rugby team.The Green Point stadium has come up against many obstacles during its construction, all of which have been worked through successfully, leading to the stadium being lovingly called the ‘African Renaissance stadium’.
|
