Aerial view of Moses Mabhida Stadium. Photo by Arne Müseler. WIKIMEDIA

Top 10 Amazing Facts about Moses Mabhida Stadium


 

Moses Mabhida Stadium is located in Durban in Kwazulu-Natal province of South Africa. The stadium was named after the former South African General Secretary Moses Mabhida of the South African Communist Party. The Moses Mabhida stadium hosts several events, events such as bungee jumping, concerts, cricket, soccer, golf practice, motorsports and rugby.

The newly built Moses Mabhida stadium is located on the Kings Park Soccer Stadium ground. The stadium design allows the seating to be adjusted from 55,500 for local matches and up to 75,000 when hosting international events like the Commonwealth Games.

The stadium has two permanent tiers of seating but later a temporary third tier was added when the stadium hosted the World Cup. It also has 120 corporate hospitality suites with 7,500 seats.

Moses Mabhida Stadium is one of the best-designed Stadiums in South Africa. It can host several games.

Let’s learn the top 10 amazing facts about Moses Mabhida’s stadium.

1.  The Home Ground to a Premier Soccer Team, Amazulu

Durban. KwaZulu Natal. South Africa. photo by Southern African Tourism. WIKIMEDIA

Amazulu football club is a professional football club which is based in the city of Durban in the KwaZulu Natal province. The club plays in the Premier Soccer League.

The club is currently training in Moses Mabhida stadium and their administrative offices are also in this stadium. The club’s technical team’s offices are based in Prime Human Performance Institute and also utilize the performance facilities. Amazulu football club plays their home games at Moses Mabhida stadium.

2. Moses Mabhida was Among the Host Stadium of the 2010 FIFA World Cup

Teams during the game between Portugal and Brazil at FIFA World Cup 2010, 25 June 2010, Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban. photo by Tim Boyd. WIKIMEDIA

Moses Mabhida stadium became one of the selected venues to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Five group games were played, one round game and also a semi-final match during the World Cup competition.

The 2010 FIFA World cup served as the 19th World Cup to be held. The world championship is a competition organized for men’s national association football teams. In the year 2004, FIFA selected South Africa to host the championship and became the first African country to host the world cup.

3. The 2013 African Cup of Nations took Place at this Stadium

Moses Mabhida Stadium during 2013 Africa Cup of Nations-2013-01-23 RSA vs ANG. Photo by Akidjoh. WIKIMEDIA

Moses Mabhida Stadium was among the venues in South Africa that hosted the 2013 African Cup of Nations. The stadium hosted 4 group games, 1 quarter-final and a semi-final.

It was the second time South Africa hosted the tournament. The 2013 tournament was the highest attended edition of the Africa Cup of Nations. However, the South African team was eliminated in the quarter-finals by Mali through a penalty shootout.

4. It Witnessed the Biggest Ever Crowd during a Match

On 9 January 2011 Moses Mabhida Stadium hosted the Twenty20 cricket match. This was between South Africa and India. The teams were competing for the Krish MacArthur Trophy but South Africa lost to India which won by 21 runs.

During this competition Moses Mabhida stadium witnessed for the first time, the biggest ever crowd for a cricket match on the African continent. Later after the match, a concert was held to celebrate the ties between South Africa and India.

5. One of the Best-designed Stadiums in South Africa for Multiple Types of Events

Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Author South African Tourism. WIKIMEDIA

Moses Mabhida stadium is designed in a way that it can easily be used to host multiple types of events. This means that the stadium can host different sports or events.

6. Moses Mabhida Stadium has An Arch

Durban. KwaZulu Natal. South Africa. Photo by South African Tourism. WIKIMEDIA

The stadium has a 350-metre long and 105-metre high arch. It holds the roof of the stadium. The arch rise to 106 metres above the pitch.

The arch was made of a 5×5m steel hollow box which weighs 2,600 tons. The top of the arch offers visitors a view over the city and ocean, also the south side of the arch has a 550-step adventure walk. In the year 2010, a swing was opened at the stadium which became the largest swing in the world.

7. Moses Mabhida Stadium was to Host the 2022 Commonwealth Games

Durban city launched its bid to host the 22 commonwealth games and in the year 2015, the city secured all the rights required to host the games. As it was the sole bidder for the event. But in the year 2017 in February, it was reported the city of Durban might not be able to host the games due to financial problems.

These reports were later confirmed on 13 March 2017 when the city was stripped of their rights to host the 22 commonwealth games. If the Moses Mabhida Stadium hosted the games it would have marked the first time the games were played in Africa.

8. It was the Host of the 2010 MTN 8 Finals

Moses Mabhida stadium hosted the 36th edition of the 2010 MTN 8 Finals. Orlando Pirates won the tournament by beating Moroka swallows through penalty shootouts. Orlando Pirates won their first major cup trophy in Moses Mabhida Stadium in ten years.

Moses Mabhida Hosted the tournament which was contested by eight top teams at the end of the 2009 to 2010 season from the Premier Soccer League. The tournament started on 20 August 2009 and ended on 2 October 2010.

9. Moses Mabhida Hosted the 2012 Telecom Knock-Outs

The 2012 Telkom Knockout which was hosted at the Stadium were a knockout competition. It comprised 16 teams. The teams were from South African Premier Soccer League.

The tournament was the 21st and also the 7th to be held under the Telkom Knockout name. The knockout tournament held at Moses Mabhida began on 17 October and ended on 1 December 2012.

10. Moses Mabhida Hosted The 2013 MTN 8 Tournament

The 39th edition of the 2013 MTN tournament which is South Africa’s annual football (soccer) cup competition, was held at Moses Mabhida Stadium. The teams that participated in the cup competition were among the top eight teams of the Premier Soccer League table during the 2012-13 season.

Moses Mabhida Stadium is one of the best-designed Stadiums in South Africa that can be used to host multiple games.