Ellis Park Stadium facts for kids
| Coca-Cola Park | |
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| Location | Johannesburg, South Africa |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 26°11′51″S 28°3′39″E / 26.19750°S 28.06083°E |
| Capacity | 62,000 |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1982 |
| Renovated | 2009 |
Ellis Park is a famous sports stadium located in Johannesburg, South Africa. Many people also know it as Coca-Cola Park. It is a very important place for both rugby union and football (soccer) games.
Contents
A Look Back: Stadium History
Ellis Park was first built in 1928. Back then, it was mainly used for rugby union matches. Later, in 1982, the original stadium was taken down and a brand new one was built in its place. It was still used for rugby.
The stadium got its name from JD Ellis. He was a city councilor in Johannesburg. Mr. Ellis allowed 13 acres of land to be used to build this stadium.
Over the years, Ellis Park has hosted many big events. In 1955, a huge crowd of 100,000 people watched a rugby match between South Africa and England there. The stadium was also a key venue for the 1995 Rugby World Cup. More recently, it hosted games for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup and the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Stadium Improvements and Upgrades
In 2009, Ellis Park Stadium got a big makeover. Many improvements were made to make it better for fans and players.
- More seats were added so more people could watch games.
- It became easier for fans with disabilities to get around the stadium.
- A new football pitch was installed.
- A special room for media (like TV and newspaper reporters) was added.
- The sound system, including the loudspeakers, was made much better.
Hosting the FIFA World Cup
Ellis Park Stadium was one of the 10 stadiums used for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Many exciting matches were played here.
2010 World Cup Matches at Ellis Park
All times are given in South African Standard time (UTC+2).
| Date | Time | Group | Team #1 | Team #2 | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, 12 June | 16:00 | Group B | Argentina | Nigeria | 1:0 |
| Tuesday, 15 June | 20:30 | Group G | Brazil | Korea DPR | 2:1 |
| Friday, 18 June | 16:00 | Group C | Slovenia | United States | 2:2 |
| Monday, 21 June | 20:30 | Group H | Spain | Honduras | 2:0 |
| Thursday, 24 June | 16:00 | Group F | Slovakia | Italy | 3:2 |
| Monday, 28 June | 20:30 | Round of 16 | Brazil | Chile | 3:0 |
| Saturday, 3 July | 20:30 | Quarter-finals | Paraguay | Spain | 0:1 |
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Brazil vs. Chile
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Brazil vs. DPR Korea
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Slovenia vs. USA
Ellis Park Today
Today, Ellis Park is still a very busy sports venue. It is the home ground for several popular teams:
- Two soccer teams: the Gauteng Lions and Orlando Pirates.
- Two rugby teams: the Lions and the Golden Lions.
Images for kids
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Brazil vs North Korea match
See also
In Spanish: Estadio Ellis Park para niños
