FNB Stadium

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FNB-Stadium, Johannesburg

First National Bank Stadium (FNB Stadium or Soccer City) is a stadium built in 1987, located in Johannesburg, South Africa. It is the central venue for the South African Football Association (SAFA). A football-specific stadium, the FNB Stadium seats 80,000 people in plastic bucket seats. A two-metre wide "moat" runs around the entire field to protect players from over eager spectators. However, this cannot stop enraged fans (once their team had lost of course) from tearing off the plastic seats, or taking fruits, vegetables, shoes or even empty, glass bottles and throwing them at the officials, security, or coaches after the match. A recent example of this was when Bidvest Wits played Kaizer Chiefs at the FNB stadium and Chiefs lost 2-1.

Most of the largest football events in South Africa are played at the FNB and the venue is better suited to these events than nearby Ellis Park, where the final for the Rugby World Cup in 1995 was held.

The Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg is to undergo a major upgrade for the 2010 tournament, with a new design inspired by traditional African pottery and a revamped capacity for 104 000 football fans. The upper tier will be extended around the stadium to increase the capacity to 94,700 with an extra 99 Executive suites, an encircling roof will be constructed, new changing room facilities will be developed and new floodlights will be installed. One of the hallmarks of the upgraded stadium will be its flexible-sized seating capacity. A special divider will be installed to turn the stadium into a small arena and can be easily converted back to the largest stadium on the African continent at the touch of a button. The upgrade commenced in September 2006 to complete the plan that was started in 1989 and also to ensure that the Stadium will be complete by end 2007 for the final inspection for the 2010 World Cup in 2008.

The stadium will hold the final and opening matches, five first-round matches, one second-round match and one quarter-final.

Soweto and the National Exhibition Centre in Nasrec are nearby.