Royal Bafokeng Stadium facts for kids
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| Full name | Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace |
|---|---|
| Address | South Africa |
| Location | R565 (Sun City Road), Phokeng, South Africa |
| Coordinates | 25°34′43″S 27°09′39″E / 25.5786°S 27.1607°E |
| Owner | Royal Bafokeng Nation |
| Capacity | 44,530 |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1995 |
| Built | 1996-1998 |
| Opened | 1999 |
| Renovated | 2007-2009 |
| Expanded | 2009 |
| Tenants | |
| Platinum Stars F.C. (2006–2018) | |
The Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace is a large stadium in Phokeng, South Africa. It is a popular place for football, rugby, and athletics events. The stadium was built and is managed by the Royal Bafokeng Nation. For many years, it was the home stadium for the Premier Soccer League club Platinum Stars. The Leopards rugby team also plays some of their big Currie Cup matches here.
The stadium was made bigger to host important international events. Its seating capacity grew from 38,000 to 44,530. This expansion allowed it to host several matches for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. During the upgrade, the main west stand was improved and given a new roof. New electronic scoreboards, seats, and better lights were also added. The stadium upgrades were finished in March 2009. This was just in time for it to host matches for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup.
Contents
Major Sporting Events at the Stadium
2009 FIFA Confederations Cup Matches
The Royal Bafokeng Stadium was one of the venues for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup. This tournament was a warm-up for the World Cup. Here are some of the exciting matches that took place there:
| Date | Time (UTC+2) | Team No. 1 | Result | Team No. 2 | Round | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 June 2009 | 20:30 |  New Zealand |
0–5 |  Spain |
Group A | 21,649 |
| 17 June 2009 | 20.30 |  South Africa |
2–0 | New Zealand |
36,598 | |
| 21 June 2009 | 20:30 |  Egypt |
0–3 |  United States |
Group B | 23,140 |
| 28 June 2009 | 15:00 | Spain |
3–2 | South Africa |
3rd/4th Place Play-off | 31,788 |
2010 FIFA World Cup Games
The stadium played a big part in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. It hosted five first-round matches and one second-round match. It was the second smallest stadium used for the tournament.
| Date | Time (UTC+2) | Team No. 1 | Result | Team No. 2 | Round | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 June 2010 | 20:30 |  England |
1–1 | United States |
Group C | 38,646 |
| 15 June 2010 | 13:30 | New Zealand |
1–1 |  Slovakia |
Group F | 23,871 |
| 19 June 2010 | 16:00 |  Ghana |
1–1 |  Australia |
Group D | 34,812 |
| 22 June 2010 | 16:00 |  Mexico |
0–1 |  Uruguay |
Group A | 33,425 |
| 24 June 2010 | 20:30 |  Denmark |
1–3 |  Japan |
Group E | 27,967 |
| 26 June 2010 | 20:30 | United States |
1–2 | Ghana |
Round of 16 | 34,976 |
2013 Africa Cup of Nations
The Royal Bafokeng Stadium also hosted matches for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations. This is a major football tournament for African countries.
| Date | Time (UTC+2) | Team No. 1 | Result | Team No. 2 | Round | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 January 2013 | 17:00 |  Ivory Coast |
2–1 |  Togo |
Group D | 2,000 |
| 20:00 |  Tunisia |
1–0 |  Algeria |
8,000 | ||
| 26 January 2013 | 17:00 | Ivory Coast |
3–0 | Tunisia |
20,000 | |
| 20:00 | Algeria |
0–2 | Togo |
35,000 | ||
| 29 January 2013 | 20:00 |  Ethiopia |
0–2 |  Nigeria |
Group C | 15,000 |
| 30 January 2013 | 20:00 | Algeria |
2–2 | Ivory Coast |
Group D | 5,000 |
| 3 February 2013 | 17:00 | Ivory Coast |
1–2 | Nigeria |
Quarter-finals | 25,000 |
Other Events
"Fill Up Royal Bafokeng" Concert
In 2019, famous South African star Cassper Nyovest held a huge concert at the stadium. His annual "Fill Up" show came to the North West province. The event was called "Fill Up Royal Bafokeng." On December 15, 2019, Cassper Nyovest performed his fifth "Fill Up" concert there. Over 40,000 fans attended the show.
See also
In Spanish: Estadio Royal Bafokeng para niños
- List of stadiums in South Africa
