Although one of the smaller stadiums at the World Cup, the Free State Stadium is bound to be a hubbub of excitement nonetheless. For one thing the natives of Bloemfontein are well known for their passionate love and support for football, not least for the local club Bloemfontein Celtic who use this stadium as their home.
For another this will be the venue for South Africa’s final and hardest group match, against France. Should there be anything riding on it this narrow two-tiered stadium will be a cauldron of support and even if there’s not, the merest hint of upsetting the form book as a farewell to their fans should see the Bafana Bafana bring their A game.
7,000 seats have been added to this 58-year-old stadium for the tournament.
City: Mangaung/Bloemfontein
Construction: Upgraded
Complete: 2008
Official Capacity: 45,058
The Locale : The District
Despite its more obvious connotations, Free State is actually named after the Boer Republic called the Orange Free State that was created in 1854 when Britain granted independence to the white Boer settlers. Setting up a government that was largely based on the American model, it was democratic, as long as you were male and white. At one point it even had a ban on Asians staying in the area for more than 24 hours. Fast forward to 1994 and the ANC landslide victory saw the Orange part of the name dropped.
Bordering Lesotho to the South East, this is roughly the centre of South Africa and is generally only visited by those crossing the country. It shows, with enough diversions for a short stop-off, but little more.
The Golden Gate Highlands National Park is the big draw for Free State at present, renowned for its beautiful scenery more than its wildlife. The World Cup is a good opportunity for Bloemfontein to show off its credentials as more than just a stop-off.
Local Sights to See: If you’re going to the stadium you should check out…
The one thing you know you’ll see in Africa is wildlife, and lots of it. However the truth is you may have seen all these animals before, thanks to your local zoo, David Attenborough’s thorough works or a previous trip.
But whether you’ve seen a lion or a tiger, you’re unlikely to have seen a liger, the result of an ungodly union between a male lion and a female tiger that’s larger, stronger and more aggressive than either. Indeed the liger is the biggest of all the big cats.
Bloemfontein Zoo just happens to be a pioneer in the breeding of these bizarre creatures. If you have an afternoon off you could do worse than checking these out and wondering why, oh why, would anyone do this?
Things to avoid
With so many wildlife parks and areas of natural beauty it’s inevitable that you’ll find yourself going off for some treks or hikes, reaching that escarpment, going off to see that next vista. But, the fact is that unless well prepared these can be incredibly dangerous activities for one simple reason: Dehydration.
Take proactive care to ensure dehydration does not happen. Drink small amounts of water frequently. If you’re feeling thirsty you’re already lagging behind. Make sure you carry ample supplies, keep an eye out for the first signs in your companions and take it seriously. Untreated dehydration can result in seizures, brain damage and ultimately death.
Games to be played there:
June 14th: Group E – Japan vs Cameroon
June 17th: Group B – Greece vs Nigeria
June 20th: Group F – Slovakia vs Paraguay
June 22nd: Group A – France vs South Africa
June 25th: Group H – Switzerland vs Honduras
June 27th: Round of 16 – Winner of Group D vs Runner-up Group C
