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Royal Bafokeng Stadium ready to host World Cup

2010-04-23 10:28 BJT

Special Report: World Cup 2010 |

The World Cup is just over a month away now, and here is a look at one of the more unusual venues in South Africa. It is a stadium built by a community that made its wealth on the world's largest platinum mines.

This photo taken Saturday Feb. 27, 2010 shows the interior of the Royal Bafokeng Soccer Stadium near Rustenburg, South Africa.(AP Photo/Denis Farrell)
This photo taken Saturday Feb. 27, 2010 shows the interior of the 
Royal Bafokeng Soccer Stadium near Rustenburg, South Africa.(AP 
Photo/Denis Farrell)

The Royal Bafokeng Stadium will host six World Cup matches. The 45,000 seat oval-shaped stadium features a running track around the field. It is open to the elements on three sides, but needed little renovation for the World Cup.

Workers enlarged the west stands and covered them with a new cantilever roof costing $45 million. They finished the upgrade in March 2009, just in time for Royal Bafokeng to host four games at last year's Confederations Cup. The stadium will host five World Cup group matches and one in the second round.

Editor: Su Yu | Source: CCTV.com