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FNB Stadium (South Africa)

Kaizer Chiefs

Capacity: 94,736 (all seated)
Club Nickname: Bafana Bafana (South African national football team) and Amakhosi (Kaizer Chiefs)
Year Opened: 1986
Pitch Size: 105m x 68m
Address: Stadium Avenue, Nasrec, Johannesburg, South Africa
Pitch Type: Grass
Shirt Sponsors: Vodacom
Undersoil Heating: No
Manufacturer: Nike
Home Kit: Yellow and Green (South African national football team), Yellow (Kaizer Chiefs)
Away Kit: Green and Yellow (South African national football team), Purple and Black (Kaizer Chiefs)
Last Update: October 22, 2021

The Soccer City Stadium, which is also known as the First National Bank Stadium, is one of the largest stadiums in the world. Despite being opened in 1986, a lot of expansion took place before the 2010 World Cup. With a capacity of just under 100,000, Soccer City stands as the largest of its kind in Africa. For the World Cup, it may have been able to host only 84,490 spectators, but the maximum capacity is available for the games involving the South African national team and Kaizer Chiefs.

The ground has the nickname of ‘The Calabash’ as it is very similar to an African gourd or pot. Over the years, the location has gathered a lot of history since it has served as the place for several top football matches and it was also the venue for Nelson Mandela’s first speech since his prison release in 1990.

Pubs for Away Fans

Any visiting supporter who heads out to Johannesburg will be treated to a decent number of options. The centre of the city is the best option for receiving a decent number of options. Since it is not very difficult to travel from the city centre to the FNB Stadium,  the central district may be the best option. Some of the top pubs are:

Pete’s Pub

This is a pub that manages to deliver excellent food. It is especially famous for the burgers and pizzas that it delivers in outstanding time. The vibe is also excellent and it makes a great destination for watching football.

Die Kneipe German Pub

As its name suggests, this is a great pub for experiencing some excellent German food. This is also a great choice if you want to watch some sports along with live music, which is occasional. The location of the pub is also a huge bonus.

Emthunzini Sports PUB

This manages to tick on the boxes – food, service, and music. It is one of the places to be when a fan is visiting Johannesburg to watch a game at the Soccer City Stadium.

What is it like for visiting supporters?

Any visiting fan who reaches the FNB Stadium will feel at home thanks to the amazing atmosphere on offer. Despite being quite large, the stadium managers to offer a great ambience even when it is not completely full. The facilities provided by the management are extraordinary and it is not a surprise considering that the stadium underwent massive expansion only in 2010. All visiting supporters will be treated to a stadium that has good infrastructure, decent seating options, and plenty of avenues entertainment.

How to get there by car & Where to park?

This Soccer City Stadium is situated in Johannesburg to the south-west of the city. It is about 8 km away from the central districts. For those trying to get to the FNB Stadium using the N1 motorway, the junction 67 that leads to Randskouweg has to be used. Then, they need to take the Rand Show Road until they reach the Nasrec Road’s T-section. After turning into the Nasrec Road and turning right, you will come upon the stadium. There are decent parking options once you get to the stadium.

By train or metro

The Johannesburg metro line is reasonably well-equipped to act as a means of transport to get to the stadium. The Nasrec station will be the key to watch, as it is also the last station on this branch line. The Nasrec station is well connected with other parts of Johannesburg through this metro.

The prices of tickets offered at Soccer City Stadium are very reasonable. It would typically cost around R$40. The tickets can be purchased online or at the stadium. The former will be preferred in the case of popular matches.

Orlando Pirates

The FNB stadium managers to offer around 200 tickets for disabled fans. There are also dedicated parking spots in the ground that aid in easy entry and exit for disabled fans. Those with wheelchairs and companion assist would also be quite pleased with the facilities on offer.

Soccer City Stadium provides the option of being able to tour and look at the various facilities on offer. These tours are available only on Thursdays at specific times of the day. Each tour will last for around 60 minutes and it will comprise all aspects of the stadium. Apart from the current facilities, the tour will also go into a detailed look at the construction and architecture of the ground. The VIP areas are also covered as part of the tour, which will take fans through the various seating levels, ramps, and upper concourses. Each group will be able to accommodate only 60 guests and if there are more applying for a specific slot, they will be split up into multiple groups. A number of photo opportunities are also provided at various locations of the stadium.

There is no provision for taking an unguided tour or individual viewing. Some of the different types of tours available are group, student, and private tours.

Record Attendance

Kaizer Chiefs vs Orlando Pirates in 2015: 94,807

Average Attendance

2019-2020: 17,298 (ABSA Premiership)

2018-2019: 14,873 (ABSA Premiership)

2017-2018: 18,777 (ABSA Premiership)

Reviews

Avatar of Carl Murray Carl Murray
Game AttendedKaizer Chiefs Vs Cape Town City
CompetitionSouth African Premier Division
Date03/10/2023

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?

I had a two week vacation in South Africa and although I was advised by many to avoid going to football in Johannesburg it was, in the end, to much of an opportunity to avoid. I dragged my long suffering girlfriend along who, interesting fact, has only been to three football stadiums. Soccer City, the San Siro and the Maracaná! That’s not bad is it?

How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

We arranged a Uber to drop us to the game and pick us up afterwards! To the guys eternal credit he hung around while the match was on.

What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

Not much, we had a cursory look around but most of the stadium was closed off! The merchandise store for the Kaizer Chiefs had the basic stuff like jerseys and the like but nothing like the more traditional souvenirs one tends to look for like pin badges etc

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?

It’s an amazing stadium, possibly one of the best in the world. Facilities were basic though and there wasn’t a whole lot of food to choose from apart from popcorn and sweets and some other obscure looking battered delicacy that I politely declined! Most of the food is available by vendors walking through the crowd.

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

Decent game but no more. Kaizer Chiefs started strongly and for large parts of the game looked the most likely to score but Cape Town always looked dangerous on the counter and scored early in the second half. Kaizer Chiefs plugged away encouraged by a boisterous enough support but couldn’t manage to get a goal back.

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game

We had a Uber lined up. Throughly recommended and cheap as well as I didn’t fancy traipsing through Soweto in the dark looking for a taxi.

Summary of overall thoughts of the day out

An amazing experience but do not take any unnecessary risks if you are planning on going and have everything arranged beforehand like tickets and travel. A lot of people advised me to avoid going but the fans were fine and like most supporters they pretty much leave you alone. There was a great atmosphere but sadly the 20k attendance looked a little lost in such a large stadium. Antidotally though we were advised that the stadium is usually full for the Soweto Derby (vs Orlando)

Images

FNB Stadium (South Africa)FNB Stadium (South Africa)