With its large, flat, open and airy design the Royal Bafokeng Stadium is an odd fit for the World Cup, which seems dominated by tall, deliberately designed structures. The running track around the pitch means the crowd will never be too close to the action, taking away some of the fevered support and intensity, and the limited roofing means that some of the matches will leave the spectators well exposed.
With England and its old colonies involved in the first three games held here, and the possibility of seeing England an second round clash against one of Germany, Serbia, Ghana and Australia, this stadium is sure to remain in memory for years to come.
The Platinum Stars use the stadium for their matches and will continue to do so, the club being fully owned by the Bafokeng tribe who give the stadium its name, having bought the franchise and developed it over ten years.
City: Rustenburg
Construction: Upgraded
Complete: 2010
Official Capacity: 44,530
The Locale : The District
Located in South Africa’s North West Province, Rustenburg is a small platinum mining town, normally used by tourists visiting the Kgaswane Moutain Reserve. The stadium itself is located 12 km to the west in Phokeng, the centre of Royal Bafokeng nation, a people who have been inhabiting the area for almost two thousand years.
In 1999, the Bafokeng won a legal battle entitling them to 20% of the platinum mined on their land as well as vast amounts of reparations for historical mining in the area. The kingdom is now under King Leruo Molotlegi, who took the throne in 2003 as the 36th ruler of his people.
Other than the Kgaswane Reserve, Sun City is the second main attraction of the region, and most visitors would venture little beyond either. If you can imagine four closely packed resorts with golf courses and all the facilities a family on vacation could want then you have a good idea of what Sun City is all about.
Bordering Botswana to the north, the North West Province was formed in 1994 by a merging of Bophuthatswana and the western part of Transvaal.
Local Sights to See: If you’re going to the stadium you should check out…
When you’re stuck in the middle of Africa and you’re just wishing that you’d gone to somewhere with a bit of sea then the Valley of Waves might be just the tonic, even if it’s not the most genuinely African experience you could have.
Located in Sun City, the family friendly holiday complex, it features an artificial beach, huge wave machine, water slides, lots of faux-ruins as part of a lost civilisation motif and, crucially plenty of cool water to lounge in. Throw in ice cream and drinks and this tacky resort feature might be just the thing.
Things to avoid
Rustenburg City seems notable for having almost nothing worth seeing in it at all. A few churches, a statue, some fast food joints and you’re done. If you’re planning a trip to this area you may be far better off skipping Rustenburg entirely. Camping or cabins are available in the nearby reserves and game parks for the budget conscious, or the larger resorts and private reserves provide more upmarket accommodation if this isn’t such an issue.
The Bafokeng area is replete with interesting sights and places to stay, so make sure you do your research first and head to one of them instead if you can.
Games to be played there:
June 12th: Group C – England vs USA
June 15th: Group F – New Zealand vs Slovakia
June 19th: Group D – Ghana vs Australia
June 22nd: Group A – Mexico vs Uruguay
June 24th: Group E – Denmark vs Japan
June 26th: Round of 16 – Winner of Group C vs Runner-up Group D
