World Cup Stadium Profile: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria

Venues And Conditions / Ben Lyttleton / 24 March 2010 / Leave a comment Free £25 Bet

The Loftus Versveld has more than 100 years of sporting history but will host probably its biggest ever fixture when South Africa play Uruguay in their second group clash of the World Cup

"The showpiece event for the stadium will be on June 16, when hosts South Africa take on Uruguay in their Group A clash. It's bound to be a packed house for the World Cup hosts who have fond memories of the stadium, as it was where they bagged their first ever victory over a European side beating Sweden 1-0 in 1999."

The Loftus Versfeld Stadium, named after the founder of organised sports in Pretoria, is one of the oldest stadiums in South Africa, having been in use since 1903. The first concrete structure, which was built by the City Council of Pretoria 20 years later, could accommodate only 2,000 spectators ­but now the stadium¹s capacity is up to 49,365.

A small upgrade, which included putting new roofing on the eastern stand, was completed in time for last summer's Confederations Cup, when the Versefeld hosted the exciting matches between USA-Italy (1-3), USA-Brazil (0-3) and Brazil-Italy (0-3). The stadium will be hosting five group matches this summer, including Serbia-Ghana, Cameroon-Denmark, USA-Algeria and Chile-Spain, with one Round of 16 tie to follow.

But the showpiece event for the stadium will be on June 16, when hosts South Africa take on Uruguay in their Group A clash. It's bound to be a packed house for the World Cup hosts who have fond memories of the stadium, as it was where they bagged their first ever victory over a European side beating Sweden 1-0 in 1999.

The Loftus Versfeld is the home ground of Super 14 rugby club the Bulls and the Blue Bulls in the Currie Cup. It hosted matches during the 1995 Rugby World Cup and 1996 African Cup of Nations, and musical concerts including UB40, Robbie Williams and Celine Dion. Given that Pretoria, located in the Gauteng Province between rocky ridges in the north-eastern part of the country, is the capital of South Africa, it is no surprise that they are one of the hosts for the national team's three matches.

The Union Buildings are the city's most famous landmarks, symbolising the authority of the state and the status of Pretoria as the national government's HQ. They were also the setting for the presidential inaugurations of Nelson Mandela, Thabo Mbeki and the current South African president, Jacob Zuma. There are constant nods back to the city's history and status as the capital of the Boer republic during the Boer war. Winston Churchill, after his capture in the war, was imprisoned in the city's Staats Model School but escaped detention to flee to Mozambique.

The Union Buildings can be seen from Freedom Park, a 52-hectare heritage site offering a panoramic view of the whole city. More nature-minded visitors should head for the National Zoological Gardens, the country's largest zoo, or the Groenkloof Nature Reserve, the first proclaimed game sanctuary in Africa, which is also known as 'The Valley of One Thousand Trees'.

Pretoria is also a football city: Arcadia and Berea Park were the city's first professional sides, while more recently Mamelodi Sundowns, and Pretoria City, now called SuperSport United, are at the forefront of the South African game. Mamelodi, nicknamed the Brazilians because of their yellow-and-blue kit, won the league five times in a row from 1988 to 1993, and were runners-up in the 2001 African Champions League.

Tags: African Cup of Nations, Confederations Cup, Groenkloof Nature Reserve, Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Mamelodi Sundowns, Nelson Mandela, SuperSport United, Winston Churchill