The 1928-built Ellis Park Stadium was already a frequent venue for important sporting events, but it required extensive renovations to provide room for the millions of foreign athletes and spectators that travelled to South Africa for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The City of Gold’s preferred location for rugby and football (or soccer) is the Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg, Gauteng. The improvements included raising the stadium’s seating capacity to 70.000 and installing additional upper decks behind each goal (from 60 000).
It is an outdoor stadium with a classic square design (although the sides are somewhat curved, giving it more aesthetic appeal). It presently has nine conference spaces, executive suites, state-of-the-art audio-visual and technical equipment, media facilities, access to physically challenged people, and banqueting facilities. These improvements guarantee that this stadium is of the highest calibre and prepared for virtually any gathering of people, whether for business, sport, or entertainment.
One of the busiest and best-equipped metropolises in South Africa is Johannesburg. There is no shortage of lodging, tourist attractions, retail centres, galleries, and boutiques for visitors to this urban hub. The OR Tambo International Airport is less than 30 minutes’ drive from the stadium.
Ellis Park not only hosted the matches of the 2010 FIFA World CupTM, but it also played host to the Rugby World Cup in 1995, which South Africa won, as well as a number of other major sports and events, including musical performances.