- Title: SOUTH AFRICA: SOCCER - Controversial Mbombela stadium ready for soccer World Cup
- Date: 1st December 2009
- Summary: VARIOUS OF NIGHT TIME TRAFFIC ILLUMINATED SIGN: 'NELSPRUIT - HOST CITY 2010'
- Embargoed: 16th December 2009 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: South Africa
- Country: South Africa
- Topics: Sports
- Reuters ID: LVA83UV14GFL2TRYUSRP465CZR13
- Story Text: The Mbombela stadium has been specially built for the soccer world cup in 2010 and its name is appropriate, meaning 'many people together in a small space'.
The Mbombela Stadium is one of the newly-built stadia for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa.
The word 'Mbombela' comes from siSwati, one of the 11 official languages in South Africa and means 'many people together in a small space'.
The stadium has a capacity of 46,000 and is in the city of Nelspruit, in Mpumalanga Province.
It's surrounded by some of the country's most spectacular game reserves and the famous Kruger National Park.
Wild horses roam freely in some areas.
The most famous footballer to emerge from Nelspruit is former Bafana Bafana fullback David Nyathi, who played in Spain, Switzerland and in Italy's Serie A for Cagliari. He was a member of the FIFA World XI who played a match in Marseille as part of the festivities for the 1998 FIFA World Cup Final Draw. A deserted football pitch near the Mbombela stadium provide positive inspiration for the local up and coming future football stars of Nelspruit.
Before the stadium's construction, Nelspruit had no top football venue to host international matches. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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