World Cup Stadium Profile: Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium

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

The view from inside the Sunflower

Situated in the Friendly City, The Sunflower boasts Hertfordshire turf and will host England's match against Slovenia, says Ben Lyttleton.

"What an amazing stadium this is: overlooking the North End Lake, this stadium's roof is made up of a series of white 'petals' making it look like a flower, hence its nickname, The Sunflower."

The Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium was going to be one of the venues for the Confederations Cup last year but amid fears that the newly-built stadium would not be ready in time, organisers changed their plans. To their embarrassment, not only was the stadium ready in time, as it turned out, but it was also the first of all five of the newly-constructed stadia for the World Cup to be completed.

And what an amazing stadium it is: overlooking the North End Lake, this stadium's roof is made up of a series of white 'petals' making it look like a flower, hence its nickname, The Sunflower, which is the emblem of the Eastern Cape. The pitch has been designed to accommodate both rugby and football and the playing surface, which is made up of rye grass, was grown off-site in St Albans. Because of a recent heatwave in the area, the field has been watered at 2am every morning.

The stadium hosted its first international match in November 2009, when 44,000 fans watched Bafana Bafana draw 0-0 with Japan. Two weeks later, the stadium had its first Premier Soccer League encounter, as Kaizer Chiefs beat Santos 1-0.

The Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium will host six group-stage games, starting with S Korea-Greece and continuing with Ivory Cast-Portugal, Germany-Serbia, Chile-Switzerland and Slovenia-England. There will then be one Round of 16 tie (only involving South Africa if they top their group), and a quarter-final before the stadium hosts the third-fourth place play-off.

Known as 'The Friendly City', Port Elizabeth is is located in the Eastern Cape Province and one of South Africa's port cities. It has also been home to some of the country's most iconic figures including Mandela, former president Thabo Mbeki, Steve Biko, and other heroes of the struggle against apartheid. One of the most popular trips for visitors is to head frst to Dutywa, the rural hometown of Mbeki, before heading to Qunu, where the Nelson Mandela Museum is based just a few minutes from the house of the man himself.

The city hosted group and quarter-final matches at the 1996 African Cup of Nations, when fixtures were played at the Eastern Province Rugby Football Union stadium. Port Elizabeth is an ideal starting-point to discover hidden treats in South Africa: from the Tsitsikamma Forest to the rugged Baviaanskloof Wilderness Area, the southern slopes of the Drakensberg and the arid Great Karoo.

With its sweeping sand and river mouths, the coastline is a paradise for water sports enthusiasts. You can see the 'Big Five' less than half an hour away at a five-star safari lodge, Shamwari Game Reserve, while Hogsback, a village known for indigenous forests, waterfalls and trout fishing, is said to have inspired JRR Tolkein's Lord of the Rings books, as he was born nearby.

Despite the city's love of sports, Port Elizabeth has no professional football team after the relegation of Bay United. Michau Warriors were once in the top-flight too but have not been there since they dropped down back in 1997. That's why the welcoming people of Port Elizabeth cannot wait to host their eight matches this summer.

Tags: Ben Lyttleton, England, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth, Slovenia, World Cup football betting