World Cup Stadium Profile: Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban

Venues And Conditions / Ben Lyttleton / 10 March 2010 / Leave a comment Free £25 Bet

The stadium even has a spare goal

It may not be for sufferers of vertigo but this splendid beacon of unity and proleterian heroism hosts a cracking line-up of group stage matches, says Ben Lyttleton.

"Fans at the 69,000-capacity stadium will be treated to superb first-round matches which will hopefully be more exciting than the first match at the stadium, when Maritzburg United beat Amazulu 1-0."

The Moses Mabhida Stadium is probably the most visually stunning of all the venues hosting World Cup matches, with its 350m long arch over the top of the arena making for a sensational sight. Unike the arch at Wembley Stadium, though, fans can actually travel by cable-car along this arch, and take in panoramic views of the pitch, the city and the ocean from a viewing platform over 100m above the pitch. It's not for the vertiginous, but it is a superb addition. The two legs on the arch's southern side come together to form a single footing on the northern side, apparently to symbolise South Africa's new unity.

Durban is no stranger to hosting major events: the Kings Park Stadium across the road from the newly-constructed Moses Madhiba hosted matches at the 1995 Rugby World Cup and has also been packed out for Michael Jackson and Celine Dion concerts. The new stadium's name comes from a hero of the working-class: Moses Mabhida Stadium is a former general-secretary of the South African Communist Party.

Fans at the 69,000-capacity stadium will be treated to some superb first-round matches: the first of which will be Germany against Australia, and then Spain-Switzerland, Holland-Japan, Nigeria- Uruguay and then Portugal-Brazil. Moses Mabhida will go on to host one Round of 16 match and one semi-final. All will hopefully be more exciting than the first official match at the stadium, played in November 2009 when Maritzburg United beat Amazulu 1-0.

Durban, which hosted the World Cup qualifying draw in November 2007, is the largest city in the KwaZulu-Natal Province and is also the busiest port in Africa. Its centerpiece is its golden mile, a four-kilometre stretch of ocean and beaches warmed by the Aghulas current, making the temperatures mild even in winter.

The city also hosts Africa's largest Marine-themed park, UShaka Marine World, which has one of the five largest aquariums in the world. The iSimangaliso Wetland Park, one of two World Heritage Sites, showcases massive lakes, lagoons, coastal forests, coral reefs and wildlife. The other, the Drakensberg, is a nature lover's paradise with hiking, bird-watching and mountaineering.

Durban hosted group, quarter-final and semi-final games at the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations and England beat South Africa there in 2003 in a friendly which launched the country's World Cup bid. Its famous footballing sons include Sibusiso Zuma, Delron Buckley and Bruce Grobbelaar.

Fans are certain to enjoy Durban: temperatures in the city's winters are a comfortable 19°C while the Fifa-hosted fan-parks will be on the beach. Where else can you have a dip in the Indian Ocean at half-time?

Tags: Ben Lyttleton, Brazil, England, football betting, Portugal, South Africa 2010, World Cup betting