Soccer is the most popular sport in Africa. Despite the game’s huge following, only one African country - South Africa - has hosted the
FIFA World Cup. As a result, South Africa is home to a slew of modern, beautifully designed world-class stadiums (apart from the iconic FNB Stadium, also called the Calabash, after its shape) that were constructed for the global soccer showpiece in 2010.
There are however several other African nations that have stadia that can easily rival the likes of Anfield, Emirates, Wembley and Old Trafford. Here are five great soccer stadiums the likes of Ronaldo, Messi, Bale and Ibrahimović would be more than happy to display their awesome skills on:
Cape Town Stadium - South Africa
Straddled between the Atlantic Ocean and Table Mountain, the Cape Town Stadium is a showpiece in itself. It was constructed at a cost of R4.4 billion and features a flexible roof that’s the largest cable supported glass structure in the world.
The stadium was carefully designed to fit in with the majestic natural surroundings and has a capacity of 55,000 people. Today it is multi-use venue that hosts live concerts and the Cape Town leg of the international sevens rugby competition and is home to Premier Soccer League clubs Ajax Cape Town and Cape Town City.
Abuja Stadium – Nigeria
Located to the west of the city, the Abuja Stadium was designed by German architects and built at a cost of $360 million in 2003. It is an elegant structure defined by 36 exterior towers that support the upper tier and roof of the stadium.
It features a host of upscale facilities that include corporate suites, a presidential lounge and a helipad and the high-tech cable-supported roof was a first in Africa. At the time of construction, the Abuja Stadium was the most expensive stadium ever built and it comfortably accommodates 60,000 soccer fans.
Stade Olympique de Radès - Tunisia
The Stade Olympique de Radès was constructed in 2001 as the flagship stadium of the Mediterranean Games. It has a 65,000-seating capacity and cost 170 million Dinar to build, a sum that converts to around $66 million at the current conversion rate.
Today it is a multipurpose sporting venue and the home ground of local football club ES Tunis. It is also the principal ground of the national soccer team and was one of the host venues of the 2004 African Cup of Nations. The stadium has been certified Class 1 by the IAAF and is regarded as one of the best stadiums in Africa.
Moses Mabhida Stadium - South Africa
The multi-award-winning Moses Mabhida Stadium is characterised by the ‘Arch of Triumph’, a 350-metre-long and 105-metre-high steel span arch that supports a Teflon coated glass fibre roof. An open façade consists of more than 100 columns and the entire stadium was constructed at a cost of R3,4 billion.
The stadium is the centrepiece of the Indian Ocean city of Durban and was purpose-built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Today it is the home ground of AmaZulu Football Club and has a capacity of 56,000 that can be upscaled to 80,000 for larger events.
Borg El Arab Stadium – Egypt
Situated in the Mediterranean resort town of Borg El Arab just west of Alexandria, the Borg El Arab Stadium is one of the largest soccer stadiums in the world.
It was constructed by the Egyptian Armed Forces Corps of Engineers in 2006 and has strong resemblance to the Stade de France. It has a seating capacity of 86,000 and a wide range of facilities that include hotels, corporate suites, a swimming pool and gym.
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