Cape Town Stadium facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
DHL Stadium (Cape Town Stadium)

The aerial view of the stadium
Full name	DHL Stadium
Location	Fritz Sonnenberg Road, Green Point, Cape Town, South Africa
Coordinates	33°54′12″S 18°24′40″E / 33.90333°S 18.41111°E / -33.90333; 18.41111
Owner	City of Cape Town
Capacity	58,300
Field size	125m x 68m
Surface	Grass
Construction
Broke ground	26 March 2007; 18 years ago (2007-03-26)
Built	2007–2009
Opened	14 December 2009; 15 years ago (2009-12-14)
Construction cost	R 4.4 billion (USD $ 600 million £ 415 million)
Architect	GMP Architects, Louis Karol Architects, Point Architects
General contractor	Murray & Roberts/ WBHO
Tenants
Cape Town Spurs F.C. (2010–2021) Cape Town City F.C. (2016–present) WP Rugby Union (2021–present) Stormers (2021–present)

The DHL Stadium, also known as the Cape Town Stadium, is a large sports venue in Cape Town, South Africa. It was built to host games for the exciting 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

This stadium is home to several sports teams. It hosts rugby union matches for WP Rugby and the Stormers. It is also where the Premiership soccer club Cape Town City plays its home games. Since 2015, the stadium has also been the venue for the South Africa Sevens rugby tournament. In 2022, it hosted the 2022 Rugby World Cup Sevens.

The stadium is in a beautiful spot in Green Point. It sits between Signal Hill and the Atlantic Ocean. It is also very close to the city center and the popular Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, which is a great place for tourists to visit and shop.

During the 2010 World Cup, the stadium could hold 64,100 people. Later, its seating capacity was changed to 58,300. It is the biggest stadium in Cape Town and the fifth-largest in all of South Africa.

Stadium Names Through the Years

Green Point Stadium

Location in Cape Town

When the stadium was being built, many people called it the Green Point Stadium. This was the name of an older stadium that was right next to the new one. The old stadium was partly taken down and rebuilt as the Green Point Athletics Stadium.

In October 2009, the city asked the public to suggest names for the new stadium. The name "Cape Town Stadium" was chosen by the community.

In June 2021, the City of Cape Town, which owns the stadium, made a deal with DHL. This deal meant that DHL would sponsor the stadium for four years, from 2021 to 2025. Because of this, the stadium is officially known as the DHL Stadium. This sponsorship has helped the stadium financially.

The Old Green Point Stadium

The old stadium

The beginnings of the former Green Point Stadium during the Second Boer War

Aerial view of the old Green Point Stadium, which was partly demolished and rebuilt during 2007

The new DHL Stadium is located next to where an older stadium, also called Green Point Stadium, once stood. The old stadium was built in 1897 and could hold 18,000 people.

It was a multi-purpose stadium, meaning it was used for many different sports. People enjoyed cycling, athletics, cricket, and soccer there. It also hosted big music concerts, like the 2003 46664 Concert to help people with AIDS.

In 2007, part of the old stadium was taken down. It was then rebuilt and opened in 2015 as the Green Point Athletics Stadium, which has 4,500 seats.

Building the Stadium

An aerial view of the stadium from just above its roof.

Cape Town stadium viewed from Signal Hill

Construction of the Cape Town Stadium started in March 2007. It was built on the Green Point Common.

It took 33 months to complete the project. The companies that built it were Murray & Roberts (now called Concor) and WBHO. The total cost was about R4.4 billion, which was around US$600 million at the time.

Many talented people worked on the stadium's design. Architects from Germany (GMP Architects) teamed up with local firms like Louis Karol Architects and Point Architects.

Opening Day for the Stadium

The Cape Town Stadium was officially given to the City of Cape Town on December 14, 2009. This was right on schedule.

At a special ceremony, Cape Town's Mayor, Alderman Dan Plato, received the keys to the stadium. This officially marked the opening of the new venue.

A special path called the Fanwalk was created for people to walk from the city center to the stadium. This path helped keep crowds safe and also showed off local businesses and entertainment.

Life After the World Cup

After the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the stadium continued to be a busy place. Some temporary seats were removed, and new event suites and clubrooms were added. This reduced the stadium's capacity to 58,300.

The stadium now has special areas for corporate events, medical facilities, training rooms, and places for conferences and banquets. The surrounding Greenpoint Park was also finished shortly after the World Cup. This park has become a very popular place for people in Cape Town to relax and enjoy.

Ajax Cape Town used the stadium as their home ground starting from the 2010–11 season. In March 2015, the South African Rugby Union announced that the South Africa Sevens rugby tournament would be held at Cape Town Stadium for four years.

In June 2016, a new Premiership soccer club, Cape Town City, also started playing at the stadium.

In late 2020, Western Province RFU decided to move their home games from Newlands Stadium to Cape Town Stadium. So, since 2021, the Stormers rugby team and the Currie Cup side WP have called Cape Town Stadium their home. The stadium has also hosted international rugby matches for the Springboks.

In 2023, the stadium's pitch was updated with a new hybrid turf. This turf is made of 50% synthetic material and 50% real grass, making it a better playing surface.

Cape Town Stadium (RF) SOC Ltd

In 2018, a special company called Cape Town Stadium (RF) SOC Ltd was created by the City of Cape Town. This company helps manage and run the stadium's daily operations.

In 2021, this company made the sponsorship deal with DHL. This is why the stadium is now officially known as the DHL Stadium.

First Games and Events

The very first game at the new Cape Town Stadium was a soccer match between two local teams, Ajax Cape Town and Santos. This game took place on January 23, 2010, as part of the stadium's official opening. Only 20,000 tickets were available and they sold out quickly!

Date	Time (SAST)	Team 1	Res.	Team 2	Attendance
23 January 2010	16:00	Ajax Cape Town	0–0 (5–6 pen.)	Santos	20,000

The second big event was a rugby match on February 6, 2010. The Vodacom Stormers played against the Boland Inv. XV. This time, 40,000 tickets were available, twice as many as for the soccer game.

Date	Time (SAST)	Team 1	Res.	Team 2	Attendance
6 February 2010	16:15	Stormers	47–13	Boland Inv. XV	40,000

On March 22, 2010, the stadium hosted a large religious gathering called 'Cape Town For Jesus'. This event was a chance to test the stadium with all 55,000 permanent seats filled. About 52,000 people attended.

The stadium's final test before the World Cup was on April 10, 2010. It was an International Under-20 Soccer Challenge played at night. Teams from South Africa, Brazil, Nigeria, and Ghana competed. Around 40,000 people came to watch.

Date	Time (SAST)	Team 1	Res.	Team 2	Attendance
10 April 2010	18:00	Ghana U-20	0–1	Brazil U-20	40,000
	20:30	South Africa U-20	1–3	Nigeria U-20

Sports and Entertainment Events

2010 FIFA World Cup Matches

The Cape Town Stadium played a big role in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. It hosted five first-round matches, one second-round match, one quarter-final, and one semi-final. During the World Cup, FIFA called it 'Green Point Stadium'.

Date	Time (SAST)	Team #1	Result	Team #2	Round	Attendance
11 June 2010	20:30	Uruguay	0–0	France	Group A	64,100
14 June 2010	20:30	Italy	1–1	Paraguay	Group F	62,869
18 June 2010	20:30	England	0–0	Algeria	Group C	64,100
21 June 2010	13:30	Portugal	7–0	North Korea	Group G	63,644
24 June 2010	20:30	Cameroon	1–2	Netherlands	Group E	63,093
29 June 2010	20:30	Spain	1–0	Portugal	Round of 16	62,955
3 July 2010	16:00	Argentina	0–4	Germany	Quarter-finals	64,100
6 July 2010	20:30	Uruguay	2–3	Netherlands	Semi-finals	62,479

International Soccer Friendlies

The stadium has also hosted friendly soccer matches between different countries. On November 17, 2010, South Africa played against the USA for the Nelson Mandela Challenge Trophy.

Date	Time (SAST)	Team 1	Result	Team 2	Attendance
17 November 2010	21:30	South Africa	0–1	United States	52,000
19 January 2011	17:00	Botswana	1–2	Sweden	2,000
21 July 2012	15:00	Ajax Cape Town	1–1	Manchester United	53,000
8 January 2012	20.15	South Africa	0–1	Norway
21 January 2013	16:00	Jomo Cosmos	0–4	Grasshopper Club Zürich	100
26 January 2013	16:00	Ajax Cape Town	2–1		200
23 March 2013	20:15	South Africa	2–0	Central African Republic	36,740

Rugby Union Matches

The stadium hosts many rugby matches every year. Since 2021, Western Province Rugby and the Stormers have made the stadium their home. They play both local Currie Cup games and international United Rugby Championship (URC) matches here.

In their first season at the stadium, the Stormers won the URC Final against the Bulls. This win allowed them to play in the European Rugby Championship in the 2022/23 season, with several games at the stadium. The Stormers also hosted URC playoff matches in 2022/23, including the URC Final on May 27, 2023.

The stadium has also hosted international rugby union matches for South Africa's national team, the Springboks. In July 2021, the Springboks beat the British & Irish Lions in a three-match series at the stadium. In July 2022, the Springboks defeated Wales in a special match for Eben Etzebeth's 100th game. In September 2024, the Springboks also beat New Zealand here.

Date	Time (SAST)	Team #1	Score	Team #2	Attendance
3 February 2019	17.00	Stormers	33–28	Bulls	50,000
14 July 2021	18.00	South Africa A	17–13	British & Irish Lions	0
17 July 2021	18.00	Stormers	3–49	British & Irish Lions	0
14 July 2021	18.00	South Africa	17–22	British & Irish Lions	0
21 July 2021	18.00		27–9	British & Irish Lions	0
7 August 2021	18.00		19–16	British & Irish Lions	0
16 July 2022	17.05		30–14	Wales	56,000
7 September 2024	17.00		18–12	New Zealand	58,310
28 June 2025	17.00		54–7	Barbarians	45,000
23 August 2025	17.00		30–22	Australia	56,350

World Rugby Sevens Series

The World Rugby Sevens Series holds a tournament in Cape Town every year, usually in December. It was held annually from 2015 to 2019. The tournaments in 2020 and 2021 were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the competition returned to Cape Town in the 2022–23 season.

Date	Event Year	Winner
12–13 December 2015	2015 South Africa Sevens	South Africa
10–11 December 2016	2016 South Africa Sevens	England
9–10 December 2017	2017 South Africa Sevens	New Zealand
8–9 December 2018	2018 South Africa Sevens	Fiji
13–15 December 2019	2019 South Africa Sevens	New Zealand
9-11 December 2022	2022 South Africa Sevens	Samoa
8–10 December 2023	2023 South Africa Sevens	Argentina (men)  Australia (women)
7-8 December 2024	2024 South Africa Sevens	South Africa (men)  New Zealand (women)

2022 Rugby World Cup Sevens

In September 2022, DHL Stadium hosted the Rugby World Cup Sevens. Fiji won the men's tournament, beating New Zealand in the final. Australia won the women's competition, also against New Zealand.

Tennis Matches

The Cape Town Stadium hosted the sixth "Match for Africa," a series of charity tennis matches by Roger Federer. This event took place on February 7, 2020. It featured tennis stars Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

Federer had wanted Nadal to participate for two years before they agreed on a date. Federer's mother was born in South Africa, and his charity foundation focuses on helping children's education in Africa.

The event included a doubles match where Roger Federer and Bill Gates played against Rafael Nadal and South African entertainer Trevor Noah. Federer and Gates won this match. In the singles match, Federer beat Nadal.

A record 51,954 people attended the event, making it the highest attendance ever for a tennis match. More than $3.5 million was raised to help children's education in Africa.

	Match in Africa 6 Doubles
	1	Roger Federer Bill Gates	6
	2	Rafael Nadal Trevor Noah	3

	Match in Africa 6 Singles
	1	Rafael Nadal	4	6	3
	2	Roger Federer	6	3	6

Concerts and Music Events

The DHL Stadium is also a popular venue for big music concerts, hosting many famous artists over the years.

Stadium in Popular Culture

The Cape Town Stadium has appeared in movies, advertisements, and even video games. It was featured in the 2012 film Safe House. You can also see it in many local ads and print media. The stadium was also a motorsport venue in the video game Dirt 5.

Incidents at the Stadium

On November 7, 2012, before a Linkin Park concert, strong winds caused some advertising scaffolding outside the stadium to fall. Sadly, one person died and 19 others were injured. Twelve of the injured people needed hospital treatment.

Why the Stadium is Important Now

After the World Cup, some people worried that the stadium wasn't being used enough. However, since 2021, the stadium's use has greatly increased. It became the home ground for Western Province Rugby and the DHL Stormers. This change led to DHL sponsoring the stadium's name and important updates to the building.

See also

In Spanish: Estadio de Ciudad del Cabo para niños

• Lists of stadiums
• List of African stadiums by capacity
• List of stadiums in South Africa