Beckenbauer gives Cape Town a thumbs up

Franz Beckenbauer, the president of the 2006 World Cup's steering committee, visited the Green Point stadium site this week and is said to be "very, very impressed" with the progress made. "The location of the Green Point stadium, underneath Table Mountain and with a view of Robben Island where Nelson Mandela spent 18 years in prison was "stunning", according to the former Germany player and coach nicknamed The Kaiser. We think so to.

New Greenpoint Football stadium
Originally uploaded by CapeTownFootball2010

Bloem gets building

Work on the 46,000 seat Free State stadium in Bloemfontein will finally start. Negotiations have taken place over the last few months due to higher than expected tender prices. The Free State Government has stepped in and contributed R64 million to ensure that the upgrade could go ahead. A new grandstand will be built with an additional tier and all facilities within and around the stadium will undergo a major upgrade to ensure that the venue more than meets FIFA's requirements. Ironically, Free State stadium will be the first stadium to complete all its works, four months ahead of the FIFA Confederations Cup deadline of December 2008.

Photographer: Eline Dejong

Inside peek

Durban has certainly been the leader of the pack when it comes to the construction of its 70,000 seat 2010 FIFA World CupTM Moses Mabhida stadium. Great work at the site has certainly maintained the pace of construction which began in late 2006. These images provide a great look close-up look at some of the work taking place at the site. The first tier seems to be progressing well along with work on the base of the majestic arch set to change the skyline of Durban forever.

Photographer: Chris Bloom

Busy bees at Soccer City

Work at the 100,000+ capacity 2010 FIFA World CupTM Final venue has been progressing really well. Significant progress has been made with regards to the earthworks and work on all tiers of the stadium is currently taking place. These amazing images certainly give credit to the great work that is taking place at the world's largest calabash.

Photographer: Pule Mofokeng

Athlone giant is rising

Athlone stadium in Cape Town is progressing well and should be complete before the end of 2008. Construction is currently taking place behind each goal area to increase capacity from about 30,000 to 40,000+. the stadium will host numerous warm-up World Cup matches in 2009 and will act as as 2010 FIFA World CupTM training venues and possible fan park.

Photographer: picks and shovels team

Nelson Mandela Bay back on track

The Nelson Mandela Bay stadium is back on track after falling slightly behind schedule. The 50,000 seat World Cup stadium will be complete in December 2008 and will host numerous Confederations Cup matches in June 2009.

Photographer: Luke Bentley and Max

A big big update

We apologize for the lack of updates recently. That certainly does not mean that there has been a lack of progress on 2010 FIFA World CupTM match and training venues. Cape Town's World Cup Stadium has been progressing well with 14 cranes currently on site. The next phase of construction has already begun, which sees the stadium bowl rise from the months of earthworks and preparation.

Orlando Stadium has been moving really fast and the work on the roof of the stadium has already begun. We expect this training venue to be complete in 2008.

Soccer City, the venue for the final of the 2010 FIFA World CupTM, has been racing away with construction. Most of the groundwork seems to be have been completed and work on the stadium concourse is well on its way.

Photographers: City of Cape Town, Andrew Murray, Pule Mofokeng

7 or 8?

We count 7(maybe 8) cranes at the site of Soccer City, the venue for the opening and final match of the 2010 FIFA World CupTM. 8 is a lucky number in China, so either way we're safe. Along with these photo updates we thought we'd share a graphic of the stadium at night when its completed in April 2009.
Photographer: Pule Mofokeng, Johannesburg, 15 July 2007

View of the completed stadium at night

Stadium by the lake

The Nelson Mandela Bay stadium is on schedule and will be complete by December 2008. Construction on site has been progressing well and the first few columns forming the facade have begun to rise. The stadium is located on the edge of North End Lake and a pier will be constructed over the edge of the lake providing a great view across the lake during the Confederations Cup and World Cup. Photographer: Luke Bentley, Port Elizabeth, July 14 2007

A night time view of the stadium from the lake

and then there were 10

Soon the entire Green Point Common site will be bustling with activity as the urban park plans start to become a reality. The R120 million urban park will include ten sports fields, an athletics track, a new tennis arena and precinct, a golf course and dedicated public parks and spaces. The Cape Town World Cup stadium forms just 18ha of the 78ha site to be revamped. We count 10 cranes, how about you?

And then there were 10 (Cranes) Construction of new Greenpoint Stadium

Originally uploaded by CapeTownFifaWorldcup2010

A day night match

As the sun sets, the lights are switched on at the site of the World Cup stadium in Cape Town, so that construction may continue.
These breathtaking images of the cranes at the site provide us with an idea of the magnificent views the new stadium and people of Cape Town will enjoy.
Photographer: Andrew Dewas, Cape Town, July 2007

Racing away

It seems as if all 12 cranes at the Moses Mabhida stadium are now on site and ready for action. Durban is racing away with the construction of the 70,000 seat stadium which will feature an arch that rises across the length of the stadium and will be accessible to the public, providing amazing views of the ocean and city. Photographer: Mike, Durban, July 2007

In 22 months

An earlier post "About to rise" stated that the Peter Mokaba Stadium would be complete by October 2009. News from the ground is that the stadium will be complete well before that date and will be ready for action in March 2009. With the earthworks complete, 5 cranes have risen and some of the stadium columns have been constructed. 22 months and counting... Photographer: Hanno Steyn, Polokwane, 2 July 2007

No April fool's joke

Soccer City has been confirmed as the venue for the opening and final match of the 2010 FIFA World CupTM and news from the ground is that the magnificent 95,000+ seat calabash will be complete by April 2009. Columns and pillars to support to the second tier of seating have started to rise and April 2009 seems to be an achievable target. Photographer: Puleza, Johannesburg, 1 July 2007

A foggy day in Cape Town

A cold and rainy and in some places snowy Cape Town could not keep the picks and shovels team from taking some photos at the site of the new World Cup stadium in Green Point. Like our friends in Durban 12 cranes will rise of which 8 are currently in place. The stadium podium and columns will soon rise from earth and tender proposals to operate post 2010 the stadium seem to have risen from 19 to 29! Photographer: picks and shovels team, Cape Town, 1 July 2007

Keeping it fresh

We made a promise to provide the most up to date images and we hope to keep our promise. Our previous update for the Athlone stadium included images taken over a month ago. Athlone Stadium, a proposed 2010 FIFA World CupTM training venue now has its first crane on site and work seems to progressing well. Photographer: N/A, 23 June 2007, Cape Town

March, April, May, June

The Nelson Mandela Bay stadium designed by german architects GMP in association with four local architecture firms is well on its way to be completed by May 2009. The stadium is the only new venue that will be used during the 2009 Confederations Cup in June of that year. Work on the stadium columns and pre-cast seating structures are set to begin soon, since bulk works and all earthworks were completed at the end of May.
Photographer: MyPe.co.za, March - June 2007, Port Elizabeth

A "fresh" update

Our previous post regarding the Orlando Stadium included some "older" images by our standard. We'd like to keep the images fresh and as up to date as possible. The Orlando stadium seems to have risen slightly since the last post and an extra crane has gone up at the Green Point Stadium. The Green Point stadium we can now confirm will also see some 12 cranes on site simultaneously and work remains five weeks ahead of schedule.
Photographer: 1. Puleza, 23 June 2007, Soweto 2. Kapenaar, 24 June 2007, Cape Town

A Soweto Icon

Orlando stadium has long been an iconic football venue for all the communities of Soweto for close to 50 years. Its complete makeover will provide a lasting legacy for football and will live up to its iconic status. The old stadium was demolished and will make way for a 40,000 seater world class venue which will be complete by 2008. The picks and shovels team can confirm that the cows in the image are in fact real. Photographers: Evelyn Rusita and Puleza, Soweto, Johannesburg, May 2007

To get an idea of the transformation.Before
After

Not 1 but 2

While the Green Point Stadium and its construction has flooded local and international news sources for many reasons, Cape Town is in fact currently constructing two stadia. Work at Athlone stadium is entering its final phases to complete the stadium behind the goal areas. The initial phases included constructing the two main grand stands. Athlone stadium will seat 40,000 on completion and will act as a 2010 FIFA World CupTM training venue as well as a fan park. Photographer: Jens Albat, Athlone, Cape Town, 10 May 2007

World's largest calabash

Soccer City, the venue to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup FinalTM will most likely become the world's largest calabash by 2009. The venue is expected to seat a minimum of 95,000 and has long been the heart of South African Football. The venue received a thumbs up from FIFA President Sepp Blatter on his visit to the site yesterday.
Photographer: Puleza, Soweto, Johannesburg, 30 May 2007

About to rise

Construction at the Peter Mokaba Complex in Polokwane is going well. Our friend in Polokwane says that the foundation is almost complete and the stadium can soon rise. The strong rock at the site meant that no piling was needed and the stadium bowl and columns can now start to rise. The good news is that the 45,000 seater is well on track to be completed by 2009.
Photographer: Hanno Steyn, Polokwane, 16 June 2007