The FNB Stadium and The Calabash are two of Soccer City’s most well-known aliases (after their iconic shape). The opening and championship games of the 2010 FIFA World Cup were played in this stadium, which is located in Nasrec, close to Soweto Township in Johannesburg. It was necessary to make significant upgrades to the main stadium for the World Cup in order to prepare it for the tens of thousands of football spectators and international players.
The calabashes, which are customary African pots frequently manufactured from or modelled like gourds, served as the inspiration for their spherical shape. While the lighting that surrounds the stadium’s foundation reflects the flames of a fire burning under the “pot,” the stadium’s coating resembles intricate mosaics that signify fire and earth.
The largest stadium in South Africa, Soccer City has a capacity of about 94 700 spectators. No fan will ever be more than 100 meters from the pitch because of the placement of these chairs. The views are also never constrained. An encircling roof was added, and the upper tier was extended around the stadium. Geographically, nine of the ten black vertical lines that divide the stands are in line with the other stadiums that hosted the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Towards the Olympic Stadium in Berlin is the tenth.
Executive suites, wheelchair accessibility, 184 hospitality suites, parking for 15,000 cars, and subterranean parking for 4,000 VIP vehicles are just a few of the stadium’s amenities. The stadium is around 13 kilometres from Johannesburg’s city centre.