Oct 06, 2010 south africa does not plan to demolish any of its world cup stadiums nor will any of them turn into neglected white elephants, danny jordaan, the chief executive of the 2010 tournament, said on. White elephant worries for south africs world cup stadiums. Book questions world cup business arrangements the new. World cup stadiums in south africa art and design the. If successful, it would have been the second african country, after the 2010 tournament in south africa, as well as the second arab and muslim country. The green point stadium, which is to be the venue for the semifinals, has a capacity of 60,000. South africa dazzled the world with its new 2010 world cup stadiums. Built in 1945, for over half a century the 18,000 seat stadium was the home of football club rcd mallorca. Watch fan fests thousands of sowetans flock to their local football stadium to watch bafana bafana, at one of the nine cities across the country hosting fan fests.
Most stadiums built for 2010 fifa world cup in south africa are hemorrhaging money, unable to cover their heavy operating costs. Will world cup stadiums live on as white elephants for russia to. As with the 2002 world cup hosted by japan and south korea, there is concern in south africa about whether some stadiums will become white elephants after the competition ends july 11. South africa has wasted resources on next years soccer world cup and will be left with stadiums that are no more than white elephants, a critical new documentary says. The sports bowls built around the country have been almost universally praised for their. Several world cup arenas risk becoming white elephants ap news. Today we begin a twopart tour of abandoned stadiums around the world with a look at old arenas in europe, south america, and africa. The white elephant what mega sporting events leave behind. South africa is hosting the commonwealth games in 2022, but. But elsewhere in south africa, officials faced claims. The 10 stadiums are host to 64 matches and will seat more than 570 000 people during the 2010 fifa world cup. The green point stadium, which is to be the venue for. Jan 18, 20 he brands several of the stadiums white elephants cape towns green point urban park, costing.
Avoiding white elephants seems unlikely in the immediate future, especially as developing economies continue to view mega sporting events as a mechanism for growth. Bid book 2003 and sports and recreation south africa 2011. Only a small portion of fnb stadium known as soccer city during the world cup was retained for historic reasons and. South africa does not plan to demolish any of its world cup stadiums nor will any of them turn into neglected white elephants, danny jordaan, the chief executive of. May 31, 2010 five stunning new stadiums have been built in south africa, and another five refurbished, in preparation for the world cup next month. New book says world cup will be no money bonanza for s. Soccerworld cup stadiums will not be white elephants. South africas white elephant stadium should be converted. This week in florianopolis, in the south of the country, fifa will be holding workshops for all the world cup delegations, their team. Brazil world cup stadiums one year later business insider. Abandoned stadiums of europe, south america, and africa. Continental economic powerhouse south africa, the first african nation to stage the sports spectacle, has spent billions of dollars to build new stadiums and refurbish. Capetonians are divided over whether the stadium is an elegant icon or a useless monument to south africas excessive spending on the world cup. The world cup in south africa was a huge, huge financial success for africa.
South africa s leading union has called for the white elephant green point stadium that hosted the 2010 football world cup in cape town be converted into affordable houses for the poor. Johannesburg, south africa south africa dazzled the world with its new 2010 world cup stadiums. Perhaps the most egregious case was the fifa world cup in south africa, where stadiums cost 10 times more than estimated taal, 2011, p. Visit the economist website for a visual introduction to white elephants. Comparing the urban impacts of the fifa world cup and olympic. South africa world cup stadiums might remain unused espn. Dec 02, 2009 but south africa is a nation that can ill afford to fritter away a few billion on white elephants. Several world cup arenas risk becoming white elephants. Ap insights ap definitive source ap images spotlight ap explore ap books.
Book questions world cup business arrangements the new york. South africas world cup stadiums could change the image of africa forever, or stand as spectacular monuments to extravagance and waste in a country still struggling to spread the fruits of. But cape towns stylish stadium was the most expensive of the 10 world cup venues, leading everyone to believe that the number. Inspection group report for the 2010 fifa world cup. Contrary to what the organizers had hoped for, now with fifa satisfied and long out of south africa, it looks as if the world cup stadiums are now the unwelcoming, sad looking white elephants. Apr 29, 2010 as with the 2002 world cup hosted by japan and south korea, there is concern in south africa about whether some stadiums will become white elephants after the competition ends july 11.
Watch fan fests thousands of sowetans flock to their local football stadium to watch bafana bafana, at one of. Following the 2002 world cup, for instance, south koreas k. Jan 05, 2010 johannesburg, reuters south africas world cup stadiums could change the image of africa forever, or stand as spectacular monuments to extravagance and waste in a country still struggling. But south africa is a nation that can ill afford to fritter away a few billion on white elephants. We also go back to durban south africa to get direct testimony from social activists who make it clear that from their perspective that fifa is a.
Future dim for south africas world cup stadia the hindu. Dec 29, 2009 south africa s world cup stadiums could change the image of africa forever, or stand as spectacular monuments to extravagance and waste in a country still struggling to spread the fruits of. The 2026 bid was moroccos fifth bid to host the fifa world cup after four unsuccessful attempts in 1994, 1998, 2006 and 2010 lost out to the united states, france, germany and south africa. In the brazilian rain forest, a white elephant, a big one. He says india would be left with lots of white elephants afterwards, like south africa was after 2010 world cup. South africa, brazil fifa world cup stadiums remain. For the past month the world has oohed and aahed at the bevy of glittering football stadia built by south africa for the world cup. But since the world cup, white elephants are the problem. How south africa can offer brazil a world cup lesson the. One of the chief organisers of the 2010 world cup, danny jordaan, says south african officials could have done more to ensure the viability of world cup stadiums.
The 2010 fifa world cup begins friday in south africa, with 32 national teams competing for footballs crowning glory. Faced with more white elephant venues from qatars 2022 tournament, fifa has praised the 2026 bid from the united states, canada and mexico for using existing, mostly well attended venues. South africas leading union has called for the white elephant green point stadium that hosted the 2010 football world cup in cape town be converted into affordable houses for the poor. South africas world cup venues are white elephants the. Brazil world cup stadiums becoming white elephants business. Nov 12, 2010 youd expect problems with pachyderms in south africa, where elephants roam the game reserves in treechomping hordes. South africas number one football fan world cup guides. The stadium in polokwane, inspired by africa s ancient baobab trees, stands idle after its last world cup match nearly two weeks ago. Following the 2002 world cup, for instance, south koreas kleague had difficulties filling the.
Aug 17, 2016 in the brazilian rain forest, a white elephant, a big one the arena da amazonia during its inaugural match in march 2014. Dec 15, 2009 a jubilant cape town last night took delivery of its spectacular. The world cup and south africa world socialist web site. Packed with stunning photographs and expert analysis of each team, its star players and its prospects in the finals, this is essential reading for football fans everywhere. Jun 04, 2010 south africa s number one football fan world cup guides. The five stadiums built from scratch are cape town stadium, nelson mandela bay stadium in port elizabeth, durban stadium, mbombela stadium in nelspruit and peter mokaba stadium in polokwane. Any world cup in brazil would have to have at least one venue in sao paulo, the largest city in the continent.
According to kuper, world cup is not a viable economic or sporting proposition. A jubilant cape town last night took delivery of its spectacular. It reveals the real legacy of the fifa world cup state of the art stadiums. The experience should be a cautionary tale for brazil. This country has the splendid rades stadium and a very high level of football. Youd expect problems with pachyderms in south africa, where elephants roam the game reserves in treechomping hordes. Other stadiums such as the 45,000seater mbombela stadium in nelspruit, which cost r1. South africa and brazil are still struggling to manage world cup stadiums from 2010 and 2014.
A huge chunk of south africas world cup money has gone into building stadiums. Aug 11, 2016 brazils white elephant soccer stadiums hardly worth their exorbitant costs stadiums built for brazils 2014 world cup and 2016 rio olympics are largely unused and have cost hundreds of millions. How south africa can offer brazil a world cup lesson the globe. World cup venues world cup 2010 group draw and fixtures video and audio. Most stadiums built for 2010 fifa world cup in south africa are. South africa national rugby union team, stormers, western province. Jul 07, 2015 some stadiums are abandoned altogether. Before the 2010 world cup in south africa, it was predicted that around 450,000 tourists would enter the country for the tournament.
New 2010 world cup documentary, fahrenheit 2010, casts doubt. South africa and brazil are still struggling to manage world cup. There is no financial incentive for rugby and cricket clubs to switch into the world cup stadiums. Nov 11, 2007 the 10 stadiums are host to 64 matches and will seat more than 570 000 people during the 2010 fifa world cup.
Jul 03, 2012 south africa s leading union has called for the white elephant green point stadium that hosted the 2010 football world cup in cape town be converted into affordable houses for the poor. Fears persist that these sleek new stadiums might become white elephants after the event concludes on july 11, with no one willing or able to pay for their upkeep. From johannesburgs soccer city to cape towns green point. As the first african nation to host a world cup, south africa has constructed or upgraded ten stadiums at a cost of more than r8billion over a billion dollars or euros, with the focal point being soccer city in johannesburg. Johannesburg, reuters south africas world cup stadiums could change the image of africa forever, or stand as spectacular monuments to extravagance and waste in.
Brazils white elephant soccer stadiums hardly worth their exorbitant costs stadiums built for brazils 2014 world cup and 2016 rio olympics are largely unused and have cost hundreds of millions. I am referring to some of the stadiums being created for the fifa world cup, the worlds biggest sporting event. Have the wc stadiums finally become white elephants. Five stunning new stadiums have been built in south africa, and another five refurbished, in preparation for the world cup next month. South africas world cup venues are white elephants. Why india should not bid for the world cup kuper says india does not have any worldclass sporting stadiums yet. South africa was not a fifa success story rosa luxemburg.