Durban Stadium is also referred to as “Moses Mabhida Stadium” after a hero of the working classes and a popular man in the country. This newly constructed purpose built stadium is a 70,000 all seater venue and is the location for one of the semi finals. Located in the Kings Park Sporting Precinct the Stadium is part of a complex that hosts restaurants, shops, bars, children’s play areas and is in walking distance to the beach. The whole set up is ready to cater for a modern sporting carnival that could incorporate any manner of fan, family and player. The key feature of the stadium is a cable car that amazingly climbs to the top of the arch, where the lucky visitor can have an amazing view of the pitch 106 meters below, as well as a panoramic view of the scenery around. The ground has clear vantage points from any seat and is a masterpiece in stadia design.
Located in Durban, the travelling fan will be visiting one of Africa’s biggest ports, this sweeps out over mile after mile of gorgeous coast line. The City of Durban itself is a busy if not hectic centre. Most of the buildings are new high rise offices that sit next to a few of the old brightly coloured art deco buildings. It may seem that Durban is not interested in keeping its history but only in creating the new. Durban is not one of South Africa’s paramount cities, although if you look hard enough there are some superb finds, most notably the fantastic beaches and the old Victorian suburbs where the history of the city is still intact. Durban has a very cosmopolitan feel where the White, Zulu ands Indian communities all mix creating a melting pot of culture, although close by are the signs of a different time and you can visit the battlefields of the Anglo-Zulu and Boer wars.
The key matches to look out for in this venue will of course be the Semi Final on July 7th and the second round game on the 28th June. The first match in the venue however, promises to be a classic as Portugal take on Brazil in a game that will offer some of the most skilful players, flare and some of the most colourful and passionate fans in the world. Nigeria will play next here against Uruguay, which could also turn out to be a superb game, as the African presence and Uruguayan fans should also see the stadium erupt. Durban then hosts three European giants in the Netherlands, Spain and Germany, playing Japan, Switzerland and Australia respectively. This could possibly give the fans a chance to witness a potential shock in the tournament, or maybe the awesome technique of these European powerhouses. Whether its watching the Orange masses of the Dutch fans, or the skill of Brazil with Pato, Kaka and Ronaldinho, Durban promises to be a magnificent venue for the 2010 World Cup.
