Final Team to Qualify for Africa Cup Nations in 2019, Egypt – South Africa

It was quite a nail-biting experience for South African fans, although the final team to enter and qualify the African Cups of Nations in 2019 were no other than Bafana. Once the South African team became the final entrant for the 2019 Cup of Nations in Africa, the stadiums that will host the tournament in Egypt was announced.

The 2019 AFCON Tournament Stadiums

Egypt hosts the AFCON 2019 and once Cameroon got stripped of all hosting rights, which was confirmed in January by the African Football Confederation, announced the six main stadiums. The tournament in 2019 is the first edition in which 24 different teams partake; these will play out across the six stadiums announced by the EFA (Egypt Football Association). Originally eight various sites were proposed for the Africa tournament, although, once the CAF delegation inspected these, only six were selected.

Cairo International Stadium to Host 2019 African Cup of Nations

One of the main stadiums, part of the selected six is the Cairo International Stadium offering a capacity of 75,000 spectators. The Port Said Stadium is also one of the six selected sports arenas; this stadium is infamous for the 70 people that passed away in 2012. This was the worst tragedy in any stadium, and 70 spectators lost their lives during a rally. The game on that day was between Al Ahly and Al Masry, since then the stadium was renovated, and it took until 2018 for the home team to be allowed to return to the stadium.

Al Salam Stadium Replaced by Air Force Stadium

The Al Salam Stadium was selected to be replaced by the Air Force Stadium, which also hosts the Al Ahly matches and it made out part of the original list of eight stadiums. The international kicks off on the 21st of June and due to preparations, the Air Force Stadium was replaced. The other stadiums that are part of those considered for the final and also the semi-finals are yet to be announced by the EFA, and these include the Alexandria Stadium, the Sues Sports Stadium and the Ismailia Stadium.

The six stadiums that were selected by the African Football Confederation includes the Port Said Stadium with a 17,988 capacity, and the Ismailia Stadium has an 18,500 capacity. The Alexandria Stadium has a 22,000 capacity, and the three more massive stadiums include the Suez Sports Stadium with a 27,000 capacity. The second largest according to capacity is the Air Force Stadium welcoming up to 30,000 fans, and 74,100 fans can attend matches at the Cairo International Stadium.

Meanwhile, the nominations for the top 10 new stadiums around the globe has just been announced, and these include the MOL Arena Sosto in Hungary, DVTK Stadium also in Hungary and the Zaozhuang Stadium as well as the Suzhou OSC Stadium in China. Turkey also has a nominated stadium in this category, and it includes the Bursa Buyuksehir Stadium with a 43,331 capacity.

Quality, Variety and Value for Money is all Part of the Stadium Fast Food Promise.

Stadium Fast Foods specialises in freshly prepared meals that offer an authentic stadium experience. Many sports fans prefer the stadium catering menu, featuring chicken, meat or sandwich platters, while special meals include the best burgers and fried chicken.

The Stadium History

Supported by thousands of South African sports enthusiasts the history of Stadium started many years ago in 1930. Where it all started is shortly after the Buzios family decided to immigrate to Sao Paulo in Brazil. The family left the tropical island of Madeira to make Sao Paulo their new home and started by working in street markets also known as feiras.

While working in the street markets, their primary task was to sell traditional family meals, and the public just loved their style of food complimented via a secret recipe. Due to significant success, the Buzios family decided to move and spread their success to Rio de Janeiro, which is where they opened their first family restaurant. Called Taca the restaurant was located just outside the Maracana a famous stadium.

The Tasca stadium recipes and concept was passed down to early settlers who wanted to bring the great taste of the Stadium food to the sports lovers of South Africa. The very first stadium food store was opened in Bloemfontein in 1980 and located within walking distance to the Free State Stadium. Even in South Africa, the Tasca stadium concept was maintained.

Years later the Stadium remains one of the most significant options, and all sports in South Africa love the taste. The stadium became known as the perfect place for excellent value and great food and offered a South African sports ambience and vibe second to none.

Stadium Foods now operates via several store location in Bloemfontein and also opened food stores in several other locations.

Sports Stadium in Bloemfontein

The Free State stadium located in Bloemfontein is now known as the Toyota Stadium due to sponsorship and was also known as the Vodacom Park previously. The stadium is mostly used for rugby although it is also an excellent location for football matches. It offers a seating capacity of 46,000 and hosted several notable games including the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Other important matches that took place at the stadium include the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, 1996 African Cup of Nations and the 1995 Rugby World Cup.

The stadium is located close to the Bloemfontein railway station, which ensures easy access to matches. Currently, it is operated by the Municipality of Mangaung Metropolitan and enjoyed a significant upgrade and renovation in 2008 after it was built in 1995. Tenants at the Toyota Stadium currently includes the Bloemfontein Celtic, Free State Cheetahs and the Cheetahs teams. Upcoming events include the Osreys vs Cheetahs on the 5th of April as well as the Dragons vs Cheetahs on Friday, the 12th of April.

The Thrill of it all World Tour Scheduled in Cape Town & Johannesburg

Sam Smith brings his trill of it all tour to South Africa’s top stadiums from the 13th to the 18th of April 2019. Most of the shows are already sold out and includes the first show hosted at the Dome in Johannesburg. Johannesburg-fans can still get tickets for the concert on the 14th of April, which is Sam Smith’s last at the Dome.

Cape Town fans can enjoy the Thrill of it all concert at the Grand Arena, GrandWest, although the first concert taking place on the 16th of April is sold out. Tickets for the 17th of April 2019 are still available, although the last show in South Africa on the 18th of April is also sold out.

Sam Smith

Sam Smith first released Lay Me Down in 2012, and his second, La La La hit number one in the UK almost instantly in 2013. His debut album was released in 2014, and over 13 million copies were sold around the world. Some of the favourites on this album include Stay with Me, and it also got Smith nominated for no less than six awards. Sam Smith won four awards, and it included the Record of the Year as well as Song of the Year.

At the Brit Awards in 2015, Sam Smith won the awards for Global Success and British Breakthrough. At the Billboard Music Awards in 2015, he won awards as the Top Radio Songs Artist, Top New Artist and Top Male Artist.

Sam Smith Mentioned Twice in Guinness World Records

Gamblers all over the world want to play like Bond, and any 007 fans will instantly recognise the song Writing’s on the Wall that featured in the James Bond 007 Spectre film. The song won Smith the Academy Awards as well as the Golden Globe Awards for Best Original Song.

The Thrill of it All album has sold more than 4 million copies, and during his tour in South Africa, he will be working with BONJ. Known as BONJ, Bongiwe Mpanza has a loud, husky voice. Her voice blends soulful melodies with electronic sounds. The Gospel and soul inspire her music. She has performed alongside many artists including Lady Zamari and Mafikizolo. BONJ signed a contract with the multi-award winner, producer, singer and songwriter TRESOR and will soon be releasing her debut album. Ticket prices differ according to seats and starts from 575 South African rands up to a maximum of 3,295 rands, while special arrangements were made to accommodate disabled fans.

Other big concert events include that of Andrea Bocelli starting on the 18th of April until the 22nd of April 2019, unfortunately, all shows are sold out in both Johannesburg and Cape Town. The next big event to look forward to is that pf Passenger that takes place in November, and tickets for this event goes on sale on the 1st of April 2019.

What Happened to South African Stadiums After 2010 FIFA World Cup

South Africa is a country that is home to some of the most iconic stadiums; the biggest stadium is situated in Johannesburg. The FNB Stadium seats more than 94,700 sports fans. The stadium was built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and once the world cup ended, the stadium hosted several international acts as well as sporting events.

South African Stadiums Not Used Since 2010 FIFA World Cup

While the FNB Stadium is still in use, several of the other stadiums built especially for the FIFA World Cup has never been used since the tournament ended. The Cape Town Stadium is the sixth largest in seating capacity in South Africa. It is widely known that it has been struggling since the World Cup to find any use.

Durban’s Moses Madhiba Stadium

Moses Madhiba Stadium seats 54,000 visitors and is situated in Durban on the Natal Coast of South Africa; it is one of the sports stadiums that features a unique design. It was a lot more successful as an events venue than most other stadiums. The Moses Madhiba Stadium is used for rugby union, football, concerts and even bungee jumping.

Apart from the stadiums that became famed during the 2010 World Cup, the country also has several other sports stadiums, which includes several that are amongst the largest in the country. Some of the stadiums situated in larger metro areas are used continuously and includes Orlando, Ellis Park and Loftus Versfeld.

Odi Stadium in Mabopane

The Odi Stadium in Mabopane is one of the largest South African stadiums and due to lack of maintenance has fallen into a total disrepair state since 2010. The Odi Stadium has not been used at all since the FIFA World Cup and with its seating capacity of 60,000 is the 3rd largest sports stadium in the country. The fate of this stadium is now in the hands of sports clubs and the community.

In design the Mmabatho Stadium in Mahikeng is similar to the ODI Stadium, it is only a tiny bit smaller and seats around 59,000 visitors. Apart from a few sports events, the Mmabatho Stadium is mostly used for political rallies by the ANC, while the North-West University also uses it as training grounds.

While the FIFA World Cup organisers hoped that South Africa would enjoy great joy from the World Cup Stadiums, most became white elephants since. Monies that should be used for the upkeep of the sports stadiums are misused and lost in corruption. The Moses Mabhida Stadium runs as a loss, and at the same time, it costs the municipalities millions.

During the 2010 tournament, the Durban stadium hosted 92 events, Cape Town only 25 events, while the Royal Bafokeng hosted only 29 events. All the other stadiums including the Free State and Ellis Park Stadium just hosted twelve events. The most expensive stadium of the world cup was the Cape Town stadium, and it is now the stadium that battles the most to find events to host.

Fifth Biggest Stadium in South Africa Shaped Like A Diamond

The Mmabatho Stadium is situated in Mafikeng, South Africa and is also the fifth largest stadium in the country. Judged by its diamond shape it was meant to be one of the jewels of Southern Africa, especially since its seating capacity is 59,000.

Mmabatho Stadium Did It Make The Top Stadium World List?

A lot of planning went into the design. The Mmabatho Stadium should have been one of the tourist attractions in the county, a must-see destination for overseas visitors coming to view wild animals. The big question is could it make the world list of impressive stadiums not long after the fifth stadium was upgraded for the 2010 Football World Cup. It became clear that all focus was on its design, while the designers did not pay much attention to usability.

Many Complaints From Sport Fans

The first complaints were that sports enthusiasts got lost trying to find their seats at the Mmabatho Stadium. They could not see their positions due to the confusing layout, which partly was due to the different stadium layout. The diamond-shaped stadium also consists of unique sections, which makes the design even more complicated. Then most of the article in this large stadium wasn’t even centred on looking towards the game thoroughly. Another significant dissatisfaction of the crowd was that anyone in these sections had to turn their heads to see the game. After paying the price of attending a game, the head-turning was annoying to sports fans and most only visited this stadium once as they never enjoyed their time at the Mmabatho stadium.


Mmabatho Stadium Appears On List of Worlds Strangest Stadiums

While all hope was on the Mmabatho Stadium appearing on the list of the world’s most beautiful sports stadiums, it looked on the Worlds Strangest Stadiums List.

Goldwert described the Mmabatho Stadium as curious and unusual even bizarre and listed it as a hideous monstrosity foisted upon sports fans as a cruel joke. The stadium became known for its unconventional design, unfavoured for its abstract angles and strange geometry. Its seating-layout labelled as odd, with angles that block fans views while it is also far from the pitch. The one thing that became clear was that the designers of the Mmabatho stadium committed a cardinal sin. The rainbow colour scheme combined with angular shapes only added to the circus vibe.

Mmabatho Stadium Situated 300km from Johannesburg in the North-West Province

The Mmabatho Stadium was built as a sports facility with many, and it is not far from the Botswana border. The stadium design should be perfect for concerts as much as football matches. At the end, the 30-year-old Mmabatho Stadium, even after significant upgrades remained silent during the FIFA World Cup in 2010. It is not used very often, one of the only matches played at the Mmabatho in years is the charity match between the Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs.

Waka Waka Created for South Africa, Biggest FIFA Football Song Ever

South Africa is a rainbow nation that loves football above all, and some of its stadiums are most significant. The most popular stadiums include Soccer City based in Gauteng, Ellis Park used for soccer and rugby, as well as the Cape Town Stadium. Several of the stadiums enjoyed significant upgrades before the country hosted the FIFA Football Championship.

The 2010 World Cup Highlight

The world cup in South Africa was a major success and one of the most memorable moments apart from significant victories was the hip-swinging dance and massive hit song performed by Shakira. The song recorded with the South African group Freshly Ground became the most successful anthem ever of World Cups. Whether the song by Shakira managed to sum up the energy of Africa perfectly or just mesmerised and hypnotised the world is not bright, but it remains the biggest hit of all.

Waka Waka

Waka Waka is about the energy and vibrancy of Africa, and it brought in more than $10 million for the youth initiative called 20 Centres for 2010. Sang by the Colombian singer, Waka Waka – This time for Africa was released in May 2010 and was produced and composed by John Hill and Shakira. It remained on the Australian, Spain, Germany, United States, Italy and Switzerland charts for many weeks and peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 38. The video became a massive hit on YouTube and was watched by over 2.1 billion this year in February. It is hugely favoured by sports superstars such as Lionel Messi and Christiano Ronaldo.

Official 2010 World Cup Song

In 2010 it was announced that Shakira would perform the Waka Waka at both the final match hosted at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg on the 11th of July 2010 as well as the kick-off celebration concert of the FIFA World Cup on the 10th of June. That took place at the Orlando Stadium. On the 28th of April 2010 the song Waka Waka premiered, while it became available via digital download on the 7th of May via the iTunes Store.

Lyrics of Waka Waka Time for Africa Song

The chorus was borrowed from the 1986 song Zangalewa, a significant hit across Africa. The words compare soccer participants to soldiers, and on the battlefield, the song encourages them to be brave, fight and achieve their goals. South African musicians were displeased that Shakira was selected to sing the song. For this reason, Freshly Ground from the country was asked to be part of the opening song of the World Cup. During the 2014 World Cup, the Brazilian fans strongly disliked We Are One. Demanding that Waka Waka returned as the official FIFA World Cup song, as many Tweeted VoltaWakaWaka, which means ReturnWakaWaka. Certified sales of the Waka Waka song reached 1.950,000 in the United States, 600,00 in the United Kingdom, 360,000 in Switzerland and 240,000 in Spain.

Ultimate Guide to Where the Games Are Showing

You might not be able to get to the stadium for the big match and in urgent need to find a place where you could at least watch the game on a big screen. There are plenty of great places to enjoy the game in the company of other sports enthusiasts whether you are in Pretoria, Johannesburg or Cape Town.

Johannesburg – Fourways

If you’re in Johannesburg, there is no better place than the exceptionally popular Beerhouse. During games, various craft brewers show their support for the teams via offering reduced prizes and while you get to follow the game on several big screens. During major sports events, the Beerhouse also offer baskets, and sports fans can select from wings, ribs, onion rings, chips and several other items.

The three major sports stadiums in Johannesburg include the FNB Stadium, Ellis Park Stadium and the Johannesburg Stadium situated in Doornfontein.

Jolly Roger Pub Screens All Tournament Games

The Jolly Roger Pub is the perfect place to be if you want to enjoy sports events. They screen all the big tournament, and during the half time, all the drinks are on special. The pizzas at Jolly Roger’s are legendary, and you’ll be amongst hundreds of sports fans.

Pretoria

The most popular sports stadiums in Pretoria is Pilditch Stadium, HM Pitje and Loftus Versfeld, situated in Arcadia. The Pilditch stadium is used for multiple events and is located at the show grounds complex based in the more northern part of Gauteng. Its capacity is 20,000, and it is often used for functions. The HM Pitje stadium is located in Mamelodi, Tshwane and accommodates 25,000 spectators, apart from sports events it is commonly used for big weddings or meetings.

Hogshead

Hogshead in Hazelwood offers all the sports events on big screens and fans have access to huge specials on Budweiser and Jagermeister throughout the game. While halftime specials also include cocktails.

Cape Town

Some of the major sports stadiums in Cape Town is the Turfhall Stadium Sports Complex, Green Point Athletics Stadium, Athlone Stadium, Newlands Cricket Grounds, Wynberg Military Base Stadium and the Sports Stadium.

Den Anker

The Den Anker is one of the city’s most favoured by sports fans. This premier Belgian restaurant offers imported beers and game on the big screen.

Beerhouse

The beerhouse is where most fans meet to support their team and to enjoy various crafts as all beer prices are reduced during games.

Dizzy’s Pub

Located in Camps Bay, the Dizzy’s Pub pulls out all the stops to ensure fans have the best time during the FIFA world cup. Apart from screening games on several big screens. Pizza and beer prices are reduced. Everyone is welcome to join in the fun and cheer on their team. The crowd do get quite loud, which makes this the perfect spot for anyone who loves sports and having a great time in the company of like-minded sports enthusiasts.

Coetzenburg Athletics Stadium

The Coetzenburg is the first Athletics Stadium in South Africa to feature the new state of the art lighting system, which was part of its recent upgrade.  Installed by Maritz Electrical, the stadium of the University of Stellenbosch is now the first and only stadium to cater for all athletes during the day or night.

Owned by the University, the stadium is ten years old. Its track has seen both world champions as well as Olympic Gold medal winners compete and train over the past few years. The upgrade included lighting systems that are equal to that at the St George’s Park Cricket Ground. It features a new dimension of stadium lights that includes an LED lighting system.

The new lighting system at the Coetzenburg Stadium installed by Maritz Electrical is the Musco system, a world-renowned system used by famous stadiums such as the Arsenal Emirates Stadium and the Twickenham rugby stadium as well as several Formula 1 race tracks.

Coetzenburg Lighting System

 

The new lighting system installed at the Coetzenburg athletic stadium features six lux levels. Its unique solutions include on the field 500 lux and on the track 850 lux, sufficient to enable the perfect situation for television cameras. The total number of Musco fixtures installed is 128 installed around the track, including 107 TLC LED 1150W on the five masts as well as 21 TLC LED 600s on the roof of the grandstand.

The Musco lighting system is controlled by a multi-watt function, allowing the lightning to be set to three levels including 100% power, 50% power or just 30% power. The lightning installed at the Coetzenburg stadium carries a warranty for ten years and have already hugely reduced the university’s maintenance costs. At the same time, the brand-new lightning systems add significantly to the value of the property of the university.

Coetzenburg Stadium

The Coetzenburg stadium is used during the off-season by international athletes for training and athletes from Hungary, Spain and Germany were amongst the teams that trained during the installation of the lighting system. The new LED system also takes South African athletics to a whole new level. It provides SA athletes with the opportunity to train at a stadium that is on par with international standards. The upgrade maintains the status of the university as one of the world’s best athletic venues.

Coetzenburg Stadium Facility

Facilities at the Coetzenburg Stadium includes seats for 14,000 athletic fans, nine hockey fields, six cricket fields, nine squash courts, two heated pools, one swimming pool, eight netball courts, fifteen rugby fields with a 17,000-seat stadium and twenty-seven tennis courts. Coetzenburg also features clubhouses for cricket, hockey, rugby, soccer, water polo, tennis and underwater sport. Sports offered at the university include swimming, tennis, soccer, rugby, netball, hockey, cricket, cycling, basketball, athletics, parasport, squash, golf, water polo, fencing, judo, sailing,

Upcoming Events at South African Stadiums

Sports fans can look forward to several sports events hosted at a variety of stadiums in South Africa. On the 9th of February, the Orlando Pirates vs Kaizer Chiefs game is at the FNB Stadium and in March Ed Sheeran’s show is also hosted by the stadium.

23rd of February 2019

Football fans can look forward to several matches starting with the match on the 9th of February between Orlando Pirates vs Kaiser Chiefs. On Saturday the 23rd of February the Orlando Stadium hosts the match between AmaZulu FC and Orlando Pirates in Soweto and tickets are now available. The gates open at 6:15 pm although the match only starts at 8:15 pm.

2nd March 2019

Kaizer Chiefs are back at the FNB Stadium on the 2nd of March 2019, and this time the team faces Highlands Park in the Absa Premiership League. Tickets are available from Computicket already and the gates open at 3:00 pm offering fans ample time to get seated before the match starts at 6 pm.

5th March 2019

On the 5th of March, the Absa Premiership League match between the Bloemfontein Celtics and Orlando Pirates game is hosted at the Orlando Stadium. Tickets are already available, and several arrangements had been made for park and ride options.

23rd & 24th of March 2019

The FNB stadium hosts the first-ever Ed Sheeran’s South African Tour on both the 23rd and 24th of March. The talented performer is one of the most successful in the old and is known for selling-out complete stadiums. Event tickets for the Ed Sheeran show are already sold out, although a few suites are still available.

Ed Shereen’s latest album sold well over 15 million copies across the globe and features singles such as Shape of You, Galway Girl, Castle on the Hill and Perfect. Shereen was also awarded the Most Performed Work and Songwriter of the Year awards in 2017 apart from 4 Grammy’s and 6 Billboard Music Awards.

4th of May 2019

The FNB stadium will also be the host to the SuperSport in association with Showtime event on the 4th of May, called the Monster Jam. Tickets are still available for this major event in which the crowd would be able to see monster trucks racing. It is the ultimate in truck racing, and apart from the Johannesburg shows, it is also in Cape Town on the 27th of April and in Durban on the 20th of April. Trucks part of the show includes Zombie, Monster Energy, Max-D, Gravedigger, El Toro Loco and Gas Monkey Garage.

The Cape Town Monster Jam event takes place at the Cape Town Stadium, and some of the obstacles will include four-meter tall hurdles. It is the perfect show for lovers of adventure sports as well as racing fans and a great event for the whole family. The show starts at 6:00 om on the 27th and offers high-action entertainment over the next two hours and 30 minutes.

Green Point Stadium

The original Green Point Stadium seated 18,000 people, and this multi-purpose stadium was once one of the most attended stadiums. The main purpose of Green Point was to host football matches while it was also the home ground to the Ajax Cape Town team as well as the Santos Football Club at different time-periods.

Green Point Stadium – International Concerts and Athletic Events

It was used to host the concerts of several international stars such as Metallica, Robbie Williams, Janet Jackson, Def Leppard, U2, Michael Jackson, Paul Simon and Gloria Estefan. This is also where the 46664 concerts were hosted in benefit of the victims of AIDS.  The Green Point stadium was often used by the local schools in de Kuilen, Ellerton, the CBC and Sea Point High School for annual inter-school athletics.

Green Point Stadium Makes Place for Larger Cape Town Stadium

In 2007 many had to say farewell to the Green Point Stadium as it was demolished in part to make space for the much larger Cape Town Stadium in preparation of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The section that remained now forms the basis of the new stadium, which is built on top of the previous main stand. The new stadium enhances and complements the thriving downtown of Cape Town and is near both the entertainment and shopping district of the V&A Waterfront. 

During the construction, it already became clear that the stadium will remain known as the Green Point Stadium even though it was demolished to make space for a newer and much larger stadium. It got so confusing that the City of Cape Town asked the public to propose names for the new stadium, a very small majority voted the name as the Cape Town Stadium in, although for the rest of South Africans it remains the Green Point Stadium.

The Stadium Now Called The New Green Point Stadium

The new Green Point stadium is not based in the centre of the city, which sort of isolates it from the busy hustle and bustle of the city itself. It was selected to host five of the first round matches during the month-long World Cup in 2010. These matches included a second-round match, single semi-final match and a quarter-final match. The highlight though was the first opening match between France and Uruguay on the 11th of June 2010.

New Green Point / Cape Town Stadium Capacity

he New Green Point or Cape Town Stadium hosts 55,000 spectators and opened on the 14th of December 2009 after construction worth $600 million was completed. The new stadium has many names in Xhosa it is called Inkundla Yezemidlalo YaseKapa, for many, it is simply known as the New Green Point Stadium and Afrikaners call it the Kaapstad Stadion. What makes its name even more challenging to change is the fact that it is located in the suburb called Green Point, which means it would probably remain the New Green Point Stadium for many years to come.