Soccer City is the new theatre of African dreams

One of the greatest legacies that the 2010 FIFA World Cup will leave is the magnificent new Soccer City Stadium that will host among other games, the opening game and the final. Like Wembley in England, this stadium will be an icon and lasting image that the world will have of the FIFA showpiece.

Inspired by African culture, this Calabash-shaped arena will have an impressive 94 000 seats, making it the biggest stadium in Africa and one of the biggest in the world. No one needs to worry about it not being ready as it is going to finish well in time for the World Cup despite the fact that it has significantly exceeded its initial budget of R1,5 billion. There is no doubt that it will be worth every cent.

This arena is very important as it symbolizes the coming of age of soccer in South Africa. A brief look at the history of South African sport will reveal that for political reasons soccer played second fiddle to rugby and cricket which were the sports favoured by those who imposed apartheid on this country.

Therefore, the big sponsorship money was aimed at cricket and rugby and soccer was left to feed on the crumbs because it was the chosen sport of the majority of black South Africans. Now under the new order, soccer is gradually merging as a powerhouse in this country. The World Cup has served as a catalyst for the creation of a monumental stadium in the name of football.

A Stadium that will have no equal on this whole continent, arguably in the world. So it is fitting that the site of this new Mecca of football is right on the edge of Soweto, the original home of football. Being on the edge of Soweto means that it has not lost touch with its roots but also that it is crossing new frontiers – breaking new ground. While the other stadiums in South Africa such as Ellis Park are great venues, Soccer City will be spectacular.

The Calabash-roof will cover all the stands completely meaning that all the sound will be kept in. Imagine 94 000 vuvuzelas blasting away inside the cauldron of this venue – this is the stuff of spectacular TV viewing. The stadium has also had ‘dynamic load testing’ to ensure that it is structurally strong enough to withstand the unified weight of 94 000 fans stamping to the beat of the vuvuzelas.

We can look forward to dramas unlike any others ever experienced at a World Cup in this indescribably spectacular stadium. Move over Berlin Olympic Stadium, Soccer City is here.