Moses Mabhida Stadium

The Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban was built especially for the 2010 FIFA World Cup tournament. It will play host to five group matches, a second-round match and one of the two semi-finals. The Durban Stadium, arguably, is one of the best looking stadiums in South Africa. The three-tier structure on any given day can play host to a capacity crowd of around 70,000 fans. An estimated US$200,000,000 was spent to turn this surreal stadium into a reality.

The Moses Mabhida Stadium is situated in the Stamford Hill district and also enjoys proximity to the Indian Ocean. The stadium’s biggest attraction is its Wembley-like arch. The two legs of the arch on the southern side of the stadium meet to form a single footing on the northern side of the stadium. The arch is said to symbolize the recently born unity of a South Africa that was once plagued with race wars. The arch will also have a cable car running right through it. The venue is built on the lines of the design of the South African flag, a stadium with a theme, if you will!

The Kings Park Stadium, the stadium that originally stood on the land on which the Durban Stadium is now located, was demolished with 126kg of explosives to accommodate the Durban Stadium. The Durban Stadium now boasts of a football museum, a sports institute, a transport hub and an indoor arena. The area surrounding the stadium is blessed with an abundance of restaurants, children play areas and a walkway that connects the Moses Mabhida Stadium to the beach.

 

Moses Mabhida, the man who the Durban Stadium is named after, was an anti-apartheid champion. He was born into a poor family in Thornville on 14 October 1923. Mabhida began to play his part for South Africa when he was asked to expand ANC's armed wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), for which he even underwent military training. He then became the MK’s chief political instructor for new military recruiters and also served as a MK commander. The Durban Stadium was built to honor the memory of Moses Mabhida.

The schedule for the matches to be held at the Durban Stadium is given below.