Once home to the Garankuwa United football team, the ODI Stadium is one of South Africa’s multi-purpose stadiums based in Mabopane. The ODI stadium is most suited for football matches and can accommodate up to 60,000 fans. Mabopane is within the Tshwane Metropolitan Council jurisdiction and just north of Pretoria.

Stands and Facilities at the ODI Stadium

The ODI stadium consists of a grandstand that is uncovered, 2 triangular stands that are smaller, a secondary stand, 20 floating stands and 4 rectangular stands, which offers around 50,000 seats to spectators. The ODI was built in the later part of the 1980s and its list of facilities includes an athletic track, soccer field and the stadium can accommodate many field events such as hammer throw, javelin throw, high jump and long jump.

Other facilities also include four sets of female / male restrooms, two changing rooms, no less than four kiosks, a security room, VIP seating and lounge, a press room, referee room, generator room, admin offices, several indoor sporting arenas, stores, four ticketing offices and four high masts. The precinct facilities directly outside the ODI stadium include the caretaker’s house, clubhouse, basketball training grounds, tennis combi-courts, as well as two informal soccer grounds for training and volleyball training grounds.

Largest Stadiums in South Africa

When it comes to size and capacity, the ODI Stadium is the third largest in South Africa with its capacity of 60,000, while the second largest is the Ellis Park Stadium based in Johannesburg with a capacity of 62,567 and Soccer City is the largest and this Gauteng stadium can facilitate 94,736.

ODI Stadium Usage

Even though the ODI Stadium is one of the largest in the country, it has not been used in more than a decade and has fallen into disrepair. The complete abandonment of the ODI Stadium by the government is a great bother to most residents who believe it could be put to good use. The facility is only 30 km north of Pretoria and became a criminal haven.

During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the ODI Stadium was used for big soccer matches including matches of the Moroka Swallows, Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates, Wits University, Mamelodi Sundowns. It was also a great venue for gatherings of the ZCC and the ANC, although the complete lack of maintenance combined with the vandalism of this once premier stadium, left it in a terribly bad state, and the grandstands are falling apart. During a press conference, the Tswana government said that the ODI stadium is not structured securely, it is not safe, and it is decommissioned for all mass gatherings and any type of sport.

Sadly, the ODI Stadium is not maintained at all and without electricity and water and this major stadium was also not used in the 2010 World Cup that took place in South Africa.

Based in the Cape Flats in South Africa’s province known as the Cape, or more specifically Cape Town, the Athlone Stadium is mostly used for football matches. It is the home base of the Santos Cape town team and can accommodate up to 34,000 fans. The stadium was originally built in 1972 and was one of the key venues used during the FIFA World Cup for training, while it also hosted eight of the African Nations Championships in 2014.

The multipurpose sports field is only one of the features of the Athlone Stadium, which also feature several other facilities including disability access, change rooms, and public bathrooms, which makes it a popular as a function hire. The stadium is mostly used for matches and is also great for sports programmes, workshops, meetings, concerts and other events.

Upgrading Budget Spent R297 Million

Since the Athlone Stadium was originally built in 1972, it needed extensive upgrading before the FIFA World Cup that took place in South Africa in 2010. The venue was identified as the perfect training venue in the Cape province, and the upgrades required an estimated budget of R297 million. The huge budget was spent since the stadium would be well used in future, and it was destined to be the most used venue year after year in South Africa and especially in 2019.

MostUsed Stadium in 2019

Unfortunately, the drought experienced in the Cape caused a series crisis, and the fields of the stadium could not be maintained during 2018, which makes it unplayable in the first season of 2019. This forced many of the clubs and leagues to find alternative stadiums since the grounds requires at least another two months before the damage caused by the water problems could be fixed causing the stadium to require extensive work.

Athlone Stadium Selected by Six Teams as Home Stadium Venue

There are few if any alternatives available to the six teams that selected the Athlone Stadium for the National First Division kick-off in August. The teams include the Ajax Cape Town NFD sides, Cape Umoya United, Ubuntu Cape Town and Stellenbosch FCs all voting for the stadium to be their home ground in both 2018 and 2019. The stadium grounds are also used by the Santos of the ABC Motsepe League and the issues caused major concerns. Two matches were already scheduled for as early as February, and these include the Maritzburg United and March scheduled Mamelodi Sundowns. The water restrictions also place stress as the Stormers Super Rugby season that would have used the stadium during 2019.

One of the Biggest Events held at the Athlone Stadium is the yearly Kaapse Klopse Karnavaal, celebrating the heritage of the Cape Carnival via a competition-style event in which groups compete against each other. The bright coloured event attracts several celebrities and thousands of spectators. The competition includes judging the best-dressed group and marches all part of the festive event.

Located in Phuthaditjhaba in South Africa, the Charles Mopeli is a grass-surfaced stadium mostly used for soccer matches. Currently, the stadium can accommodate a crowd or 35,000 and is used by both the African Warriors and the Free State Stars. The Charles Mopeli Stadium is one of the main places in Phuthaditjhaba to visit and is most recognized as a non-crowd location offering amazing views, which attracts many international tourists.

Accommodation Near the Charles Mopeli Stadium

The great selection of hotels in Phuthaditjhaba near the Charles Mopeli Stadium offers a range of options, starting from 5-star luxury suites to budget-friendly hostels. The area near the stadium also offers plenty of coffee shops and restaurants, while the local street vendors offer quick bites and a variety of interesting dishes. Nearby visitors can also visit the local bars and popular lounges open till late to serve the best homebrews.

Charles Mopeli Stadium Location

The Charles Mopeli Stadium is located in Phuthaditjhaba, a small town in the Free State province. The Sesotho name, Phuthaditjaba means the gathering place of the tribes, while the region is called Qwa-Qwa, which actually means whiter than white, the name originated due to the Drakensberg mountain peaks that are frequently covered in snow.

Perfect Destination for Travelers & Backpackers

The Charles Mopeli Stadium is a must-see for active travellers and backpackers as it is one of the most popular places of interest. Entrance to the stadium, while no matches are played are free and daily visits take place at 01:00. There are also several other attractions in the area which includes the Tugela Falls, Meiringskloof Nature Park, Mosamane Guest Farm, Bethlehem Aerodrome, Sandstone Heritage Trust and the Breakfast Stream. The Tugela Falls is South Africa’s highest waterfall and it is located in the Giants Castle Reserve and has a height of 948 meters. The falls can be visited throughout the year, although it is most striking during the rainy season. The climate in the area is generally warm, with maximum temperatures of 25.6 on average while the minimum temperatures during winter are around 13.1 Celsius. The lowest rainfall occurs during July, which on average is only 9mm, while the average rainfall in February is 141mm.

Charles Mopeli Stadium too Expensive to Use for League Games

Recently soccer fans marched in protest after two league games including the Santos and Vasco de Gama were played at an alternative stadium. The municipality of Phuthaditjhaba charges R60,000 per game of which an amount of R20,000 if refundable. The teams found the price to be extremely high and arranged for the matches to take place at an alternative stadium.

Name Changes of the Charles Mopeli Stadium

The Charles Mopeli Stadium is mostly used by the PSL club as well as the African Warriors and is owned by the local municipality, Maluti-a-Phofung. The stadium was previously known as the Qwa-Qwa stadium and had only one name changed when it was named after Chief Charles Mopeli.

Johannesburg Stadium in one of the most versatile venues in South Africa and therefore used for a diverse range of sports and public events. It is also the training ground for both the Golden Lions Rugby Union and the Orlando Football Club. The large stadium covers a 37,000 square meter area and originally it was built to accommodate athletics, although the venue is also perfect for an array of other events including culture festivals, wrestling, boxing, festivals such as arts, banquets, community events and international and national music concerts. Johannesburg Stadium is also used for inter-school events and other competitions.

The Johannesburg Stadium is operated by Ellis Park Stadium PTY Ltd and located in Doornfontein, Johannesburg, South Africa. It opened in 1992 and due to its unique sweeping roof design the venue is favoured by sports, music and the press alike for is excellent and well-equipped interview rooms and commentary positions, while the highly sophisticated auditorium offer state-of-the-art facilities and hosts 100 delegates.

Johannesburg Stadium Seating

Currently, the Johannesburg Stadium accommodates 36,000 seated people, while it also can accommodate 10,000 up to 15,000 people in the standing or floor area, which is often the most and most popular area expensive during concerts. The unique design of the stadium enable spectators to enjoy any activity both on the athletics track or field closely, and all seats offer superb viewing of sports and other events. The hospitality suites are glass-fronted to ensure the best view to sports enthusiasts while the VIP lounges are the ideal venues for corporate hospitality and entertainment being situated in the best position, overlooking the pitch area.

Versatility of Johannesburg Stadium

Most known for the huge variety of rugby and football matches hosted, the Johannesburg Stadium also hosted the IAAF World Cup in Athletics in 1998 as well as the All-African Games in 1999.

The stadium hosted two of the shows, part of Michael Jackson’s History World Tour and the sold-out shows took place on the 10th and 12th of October in 1997. It was also the venue chosen for the These Days Tour of Bon Jovi and hosted one show on the 22nd of March 1995, while it was also used for The Evolution Tour during Gloria Estefan’s shows in South Africa, and the event took place on the 1st of December 1995.

The Johannesburg Stadium was also the venue where the Wildest Dreams Tour of Tina Turner were concluded during her African tour, and the two shows took place on the 21st and 22nd of April 1996. Another major event took place on the 21st of March 1998, when the stadium hosted the Popmart Tour of U2, and on the 8th of February 2014, it hosted the South African tour event of Kendrick Lamar. The most recent and probably one of the most exciting events recently at the stadium was the first ever show in South Africa by the legends Guns N Roses.

Based in Soweto, the Orlando Stadium is the home and training base of one of the major soccer teams in South Africa, the Orlando Pirates. 

Ahead of the FIFA World Cup in 2010 the Orlando Stadium was rebuilt and now offers a capacity of 40,000 after the cost of the upgrade and rebuilt added up to R280 million. The stadium was also used to host the semi-final and final ruby matches in the Super Rugby 14 apart from hosting matches part of the soccer world cup in 2010, while it has also been since used in the hosting of concerts and boxing matches. In the 2010 World Cup, the stadium hosted the kick-off concert of the World Cup and featured international pop stars such as the Black Eyed Peas and Shakira.

Historical Moment Part of the History of Orlando Stadium

The Orlando Stadium has a rich history and has been part of several historical moments in sports as well as several not revolving around sports. On the 16th of June 1976, the stadium was the place where thousands of black students marched to in protest of the rumour that the Afrikaans language could be added as a medium of instruction in schools in Soweto and other black schools. The whole rally arranged by the students were supposed to be a protest at the stadium, a peaceful protest, although once police arrived the protest turned violent and the students never reached the stadium as the day ended after several students were killed.

The Orlando Stadium was also the place where thousands of mourners met in 2003 for the funeral of Walter Sisulu, the anti-apartheid leader. In 2011 the Orlando Stadium was also the place where Walter Sisulu’s wife’s funeral took place, while both these events remained peaceful and calm.

The Orlando Stadium was built originally for the Bantu Football Association in 1959 and had a seating capacity then of 24,000 the construction cost was £37,500 and the stadium was opened by the Mayor of Johannesburg. Although it was intended to be a football stadium only it was also used for concerts by O’Jays and Molombo, both Jazz musicians and in 1975 it hosted the middleweight and welterweight boxing matches.

Besides been used as a training venue the Orlando Stadium also hosted several concerts after the 2010 World Cup, and the artist includes Justin Bieber, Mariah Carey, John Legend, the Who, Rod Stewart, Parlotones, Kelly Clarkson, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, Dave Matthews Band, Freshlyground and Hugh Masekela to name only a few. Currently, the Orlando Stadium offers an auditorium for 200 people, seating for 36,761 people and 120 hospitality suites as well as a conference centre and a gym. Known as the factory of dreams, the Orlando Stadium is operated by Stadium Management South Africa and belongs to the City of Johannesburg. It is the largest stadium in Soweto and therefore often used for rallies or events that require a venue with a capacity of 40,000.  

Currently referred to as the DHL Newlands Stadium, Newlands Stadium is located in Cape Town and sponsored by DHL, currently, the official sponsor of the Western Province Rugby team the Stormers, since the 1st of January 2011. The value of the sponsorship goes way beyond a financial agreement, the global leader in air freight and international express transport also takes care of employees and value the commitment of the team.

DHL Newlands Stadium

The DHL Newlands Stadium facilitates 51,900 South African fans, although it is not one of the all-seater venues since it is the oldest stadium in the country and the second oldest rugby stadium globally. The stadium is currently home to several sports teams including the Stormers also known as the Western Province during Currie Cup games. The Stormers rugby team finished in first place in the Super Rugby season in 2012 in the team’s history. The stadium is also used for all home games of the Western Province, while it is also used occasionally for soccer matches by the Ajax.

DHL Newlands Stadium History

The Western Province Football Union and Rugby Union decided to purchase the stadium grounds in 1888. On the 31st of May 1890, the first official match took place at the Newlands stadium when the Villagers were defeated by Stellenbosch in view of a crowd of 2,400. Only a year later the Newlands Stadium hosted the first international rugby test during the tour of the British Lions.

It took a few years before the stadium offered concrete stands and by 1919 these were completed. The grandstand was erected in 1927 when the field layout was changed, and more changes followed in 1931, which included the extension of the South stand. The South stand as well as a new grandstand was completed in 1950, and the facilities upgrades also included the addition of a Presidential room, an extension to the lower gallery and a fourth by added to the grandstand.

More changes to the stadium followed in the 1970s when it became the headquarters of the South African Rugby Federation, and several of the stands were renovated, while more were also added. In the 1980s a few function rooms and private suites were added to the top stands, and some of the other stands were renovated, while the old South stand was demolished. The stadium in the 1980s also offered another 10,253 seats to fans.

1995 Rugby World Cup

Lots of renovations followed from 1990 to 1995 in anticipation of the 1995 World Cup, when Newlands was used for the opening match of the international event. The name of the stadium changed a few times due to sponsorships, in 1996 it was the Norwich Park Newlands, by 2000 the Fedsure Park Newlands and due to a merger, it was known as the Fedsure and Norwich Park Newlands stadium for some time. By 2002 it became the Investec Stadium and by 2005 the Vodacom Newlands Stadium, by 2011 it became the DHL Newlands Stadium.