Johannesburg, World Cup 2010, South Africa

The World Cup in South Africa 2010

Johannesburg

Johannesburg is not a major tourist attraction in it's own right, however with 4 stadia within easy reach of the city (Soccer City and Ellis Park in Johannesburg, Rustenberg and Pretoria within an hours drive), and the best transport to all other parts of the country by air, road, and rail, Jo'burg really will be at the very centre of the World Cup.

Fans staying in Jo'burg are likely to be pleasantly surprised by the city and it's nearby attractions, and then with Sun City, safaris, the Drakensberg Mountains, and onward flights to other places such as Cape Town, Victoria Falls, and Mozambique, Johannesburg could well be the ideal base for the serious football fan who wants to be at the heart of everything.

The World Cup in Johannesburg

Soccer City will be the flag ship stadium of the World Cup, and will host both the opening game and the final (as well as 4 other first-round matches, one second-round match, and one quarter-final).

It has recently been upgraded to a 94,700 capacity, and the busy match schedule means that this will be a focus of activity during throughout the tournament.

Ellis Park is better known as a rugby stadium, however it has been host to many international football matches as well as games featuring European club sides.

Ellis Park has been upgraded for the World Cup and the stadium now seats 60,000.

Johannesburg Match Schedule

Date	Stadium	Type	Team 1		Team 2
11 June, 16:00	Soccer City	Group A	South Africa	vs	Mexico
12 June, 16:00	Ellis Park	Group B	Argentina	vs	Nigeria
14 June, 13:30	Soccer City	Group E	Netherlands	vs	Denmark
15 June, 20:30	Ellis Park	Group G	Brazil	vs	North Korea
17 June, 13:30	Soccer City	Group B	Argentina	vs	South Korea
18 June, 16:00	Ellis Park	Group C	Slovenia	vs	USA
20 June, 20:30	Soccer City	Group G	Brazil	vs	Ivory Coast
21 June, 20:30	Ellis Park	Group H	Spain	vs	Honduras
23 June, 20:30	Soccer City	Group D	Ghana	vs	Germany
24 June, 16:00	Ellis Park	Group F	Slovakia	vs	Italy
27 June, 20:30	Soccer City	Round of 16 (2)	Winner Group B	vs	2nd Group A
28 June, 20:30	Ellis Park	Round of 16 (7)	Winner Group G	vs	2nd Group H
2 July, 20:30	Soccer City	Quarter Final (A)	Winner Game 1	vs	Winner Game 3
3 July, 20:30	Ellis Park	Quarter Final (D)	Winner Game 6	vs	Winner Game 8
11 July, 20:30	Soccer City	Final	Winner SF I	vs	Winner SF II

Visiting Jo'burg During The World Cup

Whilst Jo'burg has plenty of hotels, and guest houses at all price points, the sheer number of games in the area will attract huge numbers of fans thrououht the tournament. Accommodation proved hard to find during June/July 2009 when the British & Irish Lions Tour and Confederations Cup were both in the city, and the World Cup will be much busier.

It is very unlikely that most fans will be able to get their first choice of accommodation, although we will always do our best!

Between Games

Any Chance of A Safari?

Johannesburg's outstanding road and air connections with the rest of the country mean that whilst there are no safari's right on the doorstep (as there are at Nelspruit and Port Elizabeth), fans who are based in and around Johannesburg will have more choice of safari than any other fans.

What's more, as everywhere can be reached by road or plane within a few hours (and all flights are direct), it will be easy for fans to get away for a couple of days on safari between games.

Whilst fans based in Jo'burg van get to pretty much any safari lodge fairly easily, the most popular areas will be Kruger, the Waterberg, and Madikwe.

The Greater Kruger Park

Elephants In Kruger This is likley to be the first choice safari destination for most fans in Johannesburg for the World Cup, as the Greater Kruger Park is widley recognised as offering the best Big 5 game viewing opportunities to be found anywhere, with lion and leopard tracking a particular speciality.

The safari lodges in the area are either located within one of a handful of concessions in Kruger itself, or in one of the neighbouring private game reserves on the western side of the Park. Most of the lodges offer a fully inclusive safari including accommodation, all meals, 2 game drives per day in 4x4 vehicles, and an optional guided bush walk each day, and some will also include all your drinks as well.

Fans can either fly direct to their lodge or one of the airports just outsude the park, or alternatively they could drive to the area (around 5-7 hours) and maybe also take in a game at Nelspruit or Polokwane.

The Waterberg

Just a few hours north of Johannesburg, The Waterberg has been described as South Africa’s best keep secret. Its rugged beauty, together with its diversity in plant and animal life, has led to the development of the Waterberg Nature Conservancy, an amalgamation of conservation areas covering more than 150,000 hectares.

The lodges of the Waterberg are an ideal safari destination for fans based in Polokwane, Jo'burg or Pretoria, and fans from Rustenburg and Nelspruit would also be able to get there any difficultly.

As the Waterberg is a malaria-free area, it is also a great choice for families and others who want to enjoy the African wildlife without the worry of taking anti-malarial precautions.

The Madikwe Game Reserve

Elephant In Madikwe The 76,000 hectare Madikwe Game Reserve is right on the border with Botswana border and and can be reached either by charter flight or via a 4 hour drive from Johannesburg.

Madikwe is home to 66 large mammal species including the Big 5 and approximately 300 resident and migrant bird species. It is one of South Africa's largest game reserves and a popular safari choice for overseas visitors as it is in a malaria-free area and a number of the lodges also welcome children.