Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium

The ‘spanking new’ Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium is located in the ‘friendly’ South African city of Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth. The stadium was constructed specially for the purpose of hosting the matches of the 2010 FIFA World Cup and was named after Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s legendary statesman. A sum of US$150,000,000 was spent on the construction of this awe-inspiring stadium; it is capable of hosting a capacity crowd of 48,000 fans. The stadium is found in the North End of Port Elizabeth on the scenic shores of the North End Lake.

The Nelson Mandela Stadium with an innovative three-tier design, two rings of sky boxes and a magnificent roof that resembles a wave makes for a stadium that sets standards for stadia all over the world. The stadium was built exclusively for football and will host five first-round matches, a second-round clash, a quarter final and the play off for the third place of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. For the tourists, the stadium is at an extremely strategic location. It’s just a short drive away from the myriad self-catering accommodations and hotels that dot the beachfront. The Nelson Mandela Stadium also offers the privilege of 1,280 general parking bays, but zeroing in on a parking bay on a match day will be almost as good as impossible.

A ‘tester’ of sorts took place when the Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs faced off against each other at the Nelson Mandela Stadium. The two teams are hugely popular in South Africa and a match between the two rivals almost always witnesses capacity crowds. The game would have helped give South African and stadium authorities a hint on what they will have on their hands once the World Cup gets underway. 

The schedule for the matches to be held at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium is given below.