Mbombela Stadium

The Mbombela Stadium is located west of Mbombela, the capital of the Mpumalanga province in South Africa. It has an all seater capacity of 40,929 spectators.

The stadium is the centrepiece of a proposed wider sports village. This stadium is primarily used for football, however it does witness the occasional rugby game.

It was one of the venues for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

History

The construction of the Mbombela stadium started in February 2007, and concluded in November 2009. The stadium has the same name as the capital city. It was previously known as Nelspruit, as was the city.

In October 2009, Nelspruit was officially renamed Mbombela by the South African Government. This caused the subsequent change in the name of the stadium.

On 16 May 2010, the stadium hosted its first international friendly match between South Africa and Thailand which the hosts won by a massive margin of 4–0.

It hosted its first FIFA World Cup match on June 6th, and its first Premier Soccer League match on 14 November, 2012.

Major Matches

The Mbombela stadium hosted four matches during the 2010 FIFA World Cup. It recorded its highest attendance of 38,229 spectators when Italy played against New Zealand with the match ending in a 1-1 draw.

It also hosted eight matches the 2013 African Cup of Nations, including a quarter final and a semi final. During this tournament, Burkina Faso was the most successful team, securing both the biggest victory, a 4-0 against Ethiopia and the most significant match - the semi finals.

Controversies

Allegations of corruption relating to the awarding of construction contracts in the building of the stadium disturbed the project. Three individuals were murdered in connection with these allegations, and another three have died under mysterious circumstances.

Promises of improvements to the impoverished surrounding neighborhood have also not been fulfilled. To make matters worse, to make way for a replacement school, a wetland in Nelspruit was bulldozed without any remedial measures.