Bloemfontein is situated in the municipality of Mangaung, which means 'Place of the Cheetahs' in the seSotho language and this is where you will find the Free State Stadium, home to the country's most fanatical group of supporters.
The newly refurbished venue was given a facelift for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup and hosted the memorable semi-final match between Spain and USA, in which the latter secured one of the biggest surprises of the tournament by sending the European champions packing in front of a capacity crowd.
The Free State Stadium derives its name from the province in which it is located. The venue played host to group and quarter-final matches at the CAF Africa Cup of Nations in 1996 and the IRB Rugby Union World Cup in 1995. It is also the alternate home ground of Premier Soccer League team Bloemfontein Celtic.
The newly upgraded stadium is the home of the Cheetahs rugby team as well. The arena was upgraded from a capacity of 38,000 to 45,000 during the refurbishments. It now has 100 private suites with 200 seats as well as a VIP suite, which has been upgraded to house 650 seats. Other upgrades include a bigger media centre, parking and security features.
Facts
- The stadium is located in a sports precinct that boasts facilities for hockey, cricket, athletics and tennis.
- The stadium was refurbished at a cost of R241 million.
- Improvements include the addition of a second tier to the western pavilion grandstand and increasing the seating capacity from 38,000 to 46,000.
- Other upgrades included the installation of new turnstiles, floodlights, electronic scoreboards, sound systems and CCTV.
- The fanatically-supported Bloemfontein Celtic play some of their matches at this venue.
History
The Free State Stadium is an old hand at hosting landmark matches and the venue has often been used for both rugby and football matches since it opened in 1952. It has been used in major tournaments such as the Rugby Union World Cup in 1995 and the Africa Cup of Nations in 1996. Its first major event was the Currie Cup final in 1975.
A new stadium was built on the site for the 1995 Rugby World Cup, and it hosted the British & Irish Lions in 2009 when they played Free State on their tour of South Africa. In the local scene, the venue is popularly known as Vodacom Park, home to Bloemfontein Celtic and rugby giants Cheetahs.
Plus and Minuses
Pluses
- The stadium has experienced a number of world-class events and management at the venue has experience in hosting players, fans and dignitaries from around the world.
- Bloemfontein natives are renowned for their passion for sport and they will surely create an electric atmosphere at all of the games to be hosted here, especially the South Africa-France encounter in the group stages of the competition.
- The arena is situated centrally in Bloemfontein and is easy to find as a result, both for fans and logistically speaking.
- The stadium has a large and impressive VIP section.
Minuses
- The pitch at the stadium often takes a beating from the rugby matches played here on a frequent basis, and the pitch needs extra care and maintenance as a result.
- Temperatures at night in Bloemfontein in winter can be very cold indeed, and the design of the stadium does not allow for much protection from the elements.
Games to be Played
The Free State Stadium will host five group stage matches and one Round of 16 match at the 2010 World Cup, and certainly any fans going to the stadium should brace themselves for an electrifying atmosphere in the City Of Roses. One of the big games will see Japan come face to face with African powerhouse Cameroon, while Greece clash with Nigeria. Slovakia take on Paraguay in another of the group matches, with Switzerland and Honduras facing off at the stadium. A thriller in front of the host country’s home crowd will see South Africa and former winners France fight it out in one of the most anticipated matches of the round.