Pretoria’s Loftus Versfeld Stadium was one of the four venues that hosted matches in the 2009 Confederations Cup, and the stadium will host six World Cup matches, including one of the eight round of 16 ties.
Loftus Versfeld Stadium is one of the oldest World Cup venues, as it has been in use for more than a century. When it was first used, it was named the Eastern Sports Ground, but it was renamed Loftus Versfeld Stadium in 1932 in tribute to the late Robert Owen Loftus Versfeld, who founded organized sports in Pretoria.
Originally, the stadium could hold only 2,000 spectators, but over time, it’s received numerous renovations and upgrades, and it’s now an all-seater stadium with a capacity of 51,762.
To be in tip-top shape for World Cup 2010, Loftus Versfeld Stadium underwent some minor renovations to the floodlights, sound system, scoreboards, and stadium roof. And despite the renovations taking longer than initially expected, when they wrapped up in January, Loftus Versfeld Stadium became the first of the ten venues to be given the all-clear.
Loftus Versfeld Stadium is also home to two rugby union sides, the Bulls, who are the current Super 14 rugby competition title holders, and the Blue Bulls. The stadium was the site of the 2009 Super 14 final between the Bulls and New Zealand side Chiefs, which the Bulls won convincingly to take their second Super 14 title in three years.
See all 2010 World Cup Stadiums.
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