Peter Mokaba Stadium facts for kids
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| Full name | Peter Mokaba Stadium |
|---|---|
| Location | Magazyn St., Polokwane, South Africa |
| Coordinates | 23°55′29″S 29°28′08″E / 23.924689°S 29.468765°E |
| Owner | City of Polokwane |
| Capacity | 45,500 |
| Surface | Rye Grass with Desso GrassMaster |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 2006 |
| Built | 2007–2009 |
| Opened | 23 January 2010 |
| Construction cost | Rand1.245 billion (US$150 million) |
| Architect | AFL Architects |
| Tenants | |
| Sekhukhune United | |
The Peter Mokaba Stadium is a large sports arena in Polokwane, South Africa. It is used for exciting games of soccer and rugby union. This stadium was one of the special places chosen for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
It can hold up to 45,500 people who come to watch matches. However, for the World Cup in 2010, the number of seats was slightly reduced to 41,733. The stadium is named after Peter Mokaba, who was an important leader in the ANC Youth League, a youth group linked to a political party in South Africa.
The stadium is quite new, built between 2007 and 2009. It officially opened its doors in January 2010. Building it cost about 1.245 billion South African Rand, which was around 150 million US dollars at the time.
The playing field uses a special type of grass called Desso GrassMaster. This means natural grass is mixed with artificial fibers. This makes the field very strong and even, perfect for all the intense training and games.
The stadium was designed to be easy for everyone to use. It has good public transport options and plenty of parking. There are also special sections for people using wheelchairs. Signs and helpful staff make it easy to find your way around.
Contents
Peter Mokaba Stadium: A World Cup Venue
The Peter Mokaba Stadium played a big role in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. It hosted four important group stage matches during the tournament. Many fans from all over the world came to watch these games.
| Date | Time (SAST) | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Round | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 June 2010 | 13:30 |  Algeria |
0–1 |  Slovenia |
Group C | 30,325 |
| 17 June 2010 | 20:30 |  France |
0–2 |  Mexico |
Group A | 35,370 |
| 22 June 2010 | 20:30 |  Greece |
0–2 |  Argentina |
Group B | 38,891 |
| 24 June 2010 | 16:00 |  Paraguay |
0–0 |  New Zealand |
Group F | 34,850 |
Exciting Soccer Matches at the Stadium
The very first event at the Peter Mokaba Stadium was a friendly soccer tournament. It was called the Peter Mokaba Cup and happened on January 23, 2010. This tournament was a way to officially open the stadium.
Peter Mokaba Cup: The Grand Opening
Four teams competed in the Peter Mokaba Cup. In the first semi-final, a team called SuperSport United won against a Danish team, Brøndby, with a score of 2–1. In the second semi-final, Kaizer Chiefs won against Wits after a penalty shootout. The final match saw Kaizer Chiefs beat SuperSport United 4–2 to win the cup.
First International Soccer Game
The first international soccer game at the stadium was on May 31, 2010. It was a friendly match between the national teams of South Africa and Guatemala. South Africa won this game with a great score of 5–0.
First Competitive Soccer Match
The stadium hosted its first official competitive soccer match on November 20, 2010. Kaizer Chiefs played their semi-final game for the 2010–11 Telkom Knockout against Santos here. Kaizer Chiefs won that match 1–0.
Rugby Action at Peter Mokaba Stadium
The Peter Mokaba Stadium also hosts exciting rugby games. The first rugby union match took place on January 30, 2010.
Super 14 Warm-Up Game
This first rugby game was a warm-up match for the Super 14 series. It was played for the Xerox Cup. The teams that competed were the Bulls and the Lions.
See also
In Spanish: Estadio Peter Mokaba para niños
