South Africa will be the proud host of the first FIFA World Cup to take place on the African continent. One of the world’s premier sporting events that is watched by billions of television viewers around the globe, the 2010 finals in South Africa are expected to be a stunning spectacle.

It has been a huge challenge to South Africa to make the preparations necessary for a successful event, but everything is on track and the stadiums are all rapidly reaching the completion stage.

Visitors and soccer fans will, of course, be able to use the opportunity to visit South Africa’s many spectacular tourist sites.

THE STADIUMS

The 64 football matches of the 2010 FIFA World Cup will be played in nine South African cities: Johannesburg (in two separate stadiums), Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Nelspruit, Polokwane, Bloemfontein, Rustenburg and Pretoria. Of the 10 stadiums, five are being upgraded and five are entirely new constructions.

The five new stadiums are the Greenpoint Stadium in Cape Town (70,000 seats), the Nelson Mandela Bay Multipurpose Sports Facility in Port Elizabeth (50,000 seats), the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban (70,000 seats), the Mataffin Stadium in Nelspruit (46,000) and the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane (46,000).

The five upgraded stadiums are the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg (45,000 seats), the Vodacom Park Stadium in Bloemfontein (48,000 seats), the Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria (50,000 seats), the Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg (61,000 seats) and, of course, the venue for the finals, the Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg (95,000 seats).

THE HOST CITIES

JOHANNESBURG: It is the capital of the Gauteng (Sesotho for “Place of Gold”) Province. Locals have nicknamed Johannesburg “Joburg”, “Jozi” and “eGoli” (place of gold). The city of Johannesburg is one of the largest metropolitan areas (1,644 km2) in Africa with a population of just over three million. Johannesburg produces 16 percent of South Africa’s GDP and accounts for 40 percent of the Gauteng Province’s economic activity. Johannesburg is larger than Riyadh in area. Major tourist attractions include Soweto, Sterkfontein Caves, Krugersdorp Game Reserve, the Market Theater Complex, the Lesedi Cultural Village, Phumanga Zulu Kraal, Gold Reef City and the Apartheid Museum. The Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg is the home of South African football and will be the venue for the 2010 FIFA World Cup final. It will have a capacity of 95,000 seats once the upgrade is completed. The other World Cup stadium in Johannesburg, the Ellis Park Stadium, was the venue for the 1995 Rugby World Cup final and is situated in the heart of the city. Upon completion of renovations, the stadium will have a capacity of 61,000 seats. Five first-round matches, a second-round match and a quarterfinal match will be played there.

PRETORIA: It is the executive capital of South Africa and 115 embassies and the offices of 21 international organizations are located in the city. Pretoria is an important industrial center, with heavy industries including iron and steel casting as well as automobile, railroad and machinery manufacturing. The main tourist attractions are Tswaing Meteorite Crater, Lesedi Cultural Village, Phumanga Zulu Kraal, Freedom Park, the Voortrekker Monument, the National Botanical Gardens, the Union Buildings and the Mapoch Ndebele Village. The Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria, with a capacity of 50,000 seats, will host several matches.

CAPE TOWN: It is South Africa’s oldest city, having been founded by the Dutch in 1652. It is the capital of the Western Cape Province and fondly known as the Mother City. Cape Town is famous for its beaches, mountain walks, sunsets and fine dining. Major attractions in Cape Town include Robben Island (where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned), the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront (V&A), a working harbor with shopping malls, arts and crafts market, theaters, live music and museums, the Bo-Kaap Museum, the Castle of Good Hoop, the Rhodes Memorial, the Dutch East India Company’s Garden, the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens, the District Six Museum, the Grand Parade, the Houses of Parliament, Table Mountain, Hout Bay, Simon’s Town, Muizenberg and Bloubergstrand. The eight 2010 World Cup matches due to be held in Cape Town will take place in the Green Point Stadium, which will have a capacity of 70,000.

DURBAN: It is South Africa’s third-largest city and is well known for its pleasant climate and welcoming beaches. Major tourism attractions in Durban are the uShaka Marine World theme park, oceanarium, dolphinarium, oceagraphic research institute, the Golden Mile (beaches), MiniTown, 50 reserves, developed parks and specialized gardens, Juma Usjid Mosque and Hawaan Forest. The Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban will have a capacity of 70,000 and will host five first round, one second round and one quarterfinal matches.

PORT ELIZABETH: The coastal city of Port Elizabeth, known as the Friendly City, in the Eastern Cape Province is home of the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. This new stadium with a capacity of 50,000 seats will host seven matches, including one semifinal. About 1.5 million people inhabit the area. Port Elizabeth is a superb holiday destination, offering a mix of eco-attractions. The city boasts various scuba-diving sites, Bay World (oceanarium, Snake Park and museums), Addo Elephant Park, birdwatching, air tours, canoeing, various mountain-bike and horse-riding trials and organized outdoor excursions.

NELSPRUIT: It is the capital of the Mpumalanga Province and is host of the Mataffin Stadium with a capacity of 46,000. It will host four first-round matches. Nelspruit is situated on the Crocodile River, about 60km west of Mozambique. With its subtropical climate, abundant sunshine and lush tree-covered hills and valleys, Nelspruit forms the ideal base to explore Mpumalanga Province. Tourist attractions in and near to Nelspruit include the Green Heritage Hiking Trail, Botanical Garden, Reptile Park, Sudwala Caves, PR Owen Dinosaur Park and the town of White River.

POLOKWANE: Polokwane, previously known as Pietersburg, means “place of safety” and is the capital of the Limpopo Province with a population of 500,000. It is the largest city in the North and a major economic center with wide streets, colorful parks and sparkling fountains. Tourist attractions in Polokwane include the Bakone Malapa Open-Air Museum (traditional Northern Sotho kraal) and a variety of museums and art galleries. The Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, with a capacity of 46,000 seats, will hosts several World Cup matches.

BLOEMFONTEIN: It is the capital of the Free State Province. The city has a well-established institutional, educational and administrative infrastructure and houses South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal. The main tourist attractions of the city include the National Museum, the National Women’s Memorial, and the Mangaung African Cultural Festival. The Vodacom Park Stadium in Bloemfontein, with a capacity of 48,000 seats, will host five first-round and one second-round matches.

RUSTENBURG: It is a large town in the North West Province situated at the foot of the Magalies mountain range. Just outside the town are the largest platinum mines in the world and the largest platinum refinery, which processes about 70 percent of the world’s platinum. A fertile farming area producing citrus fruit, tobacco, groundnuts, sunflower seeds, maize, wheat and cattle surrounds the town. The Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg will host five first-round and one-second round matches. It has a capacity of 45,000 seats.