FNB Stadium

First National Bank Stadium or simply FNB Stadium, also known as Soccer City, is a stadium located in Nacres, the Soweto area of Johannesburg, South Africa. It is located next to the South African Foot ball Association headquarters (SAFA House) where both the FIFA offices and the Local Organizing Committee for the 2010 FIFA World Cup were housed.


Designed as the main association foot ball stadium for the World Cup, the FNB Stadium became the largest stadium in Africa with a capacity of 94, 736. The stadium is also known by its nickname “The Calabash” due to its resemblance to the African pot or gourd.

The outside of the stadium is designed to have the appearance of an African pot; the cladding on the outside is a mosaic of fire and earthen colors with a ring of lights running around the bottom of the structure, simulating fire underneath the pot. No spectator is seated more than 100 meters from the field, and there are no restricted views in the stadium.

Before the upgrade, the stadium had a capacity of 80, 000. The newly reconstructed stadium retains part of the original structure’s west upper tier, although this and the entire lower tier were rebuilt to improve sightlines.



The lower tier was completely reconstructed and divided into two segments which enabled the creation of a new lower concourse (the lower embankment concourse) linked to the existing ground level concourse.

FNB Stadium hosted its first rugby union match in 2010, the Tri Nations match between South Africa and New Zealand, won by the latter. The attendance was 94, 713.

It was the of Nelson Mandela’s first speech in Johannesburg after his release from prison.

It was also the venue for the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final, which was played by the Netherlands and Spain.