World Cup Stadiums – Ellis Park Stadium

Coca-Cola Park, formerly known as Ellis Park Stadium before a R450m naming rights deal with the Coca-Cola Company, is a rugby union stadium in the city of Johannesburg, Gauteng Province, South Africa. Ellis Park was first built in 1928 as a rugby union stadium. It was demolished and rebuilt in 1982, again exclusively for rugby. It was named after JD Ellis, a Johannesburg city councillor who approved the use of the land for a stadium, setting aside 13 acres. Today, the stadium hosts both football and rugby, and is also used as a venue for other large events, such as open-air concerts.

The stadium was used for the finals of the 1995 IRB Rugby World Cup. Ellis Park has also been the stage for many unforgettable football matches. Bafana Bafana held Argentina to a 1-1 draw in 1995, and then drew 0-0 with then FIFA World Cup holders France in 2000 in international friendlies.

Currently, it is the home ground of Orlando Pirates FC, a club in the Premier Soccer League. In 1995, they were the first South African team to win the CAF African Club Championship.

Ellis Park is to undergo a minor upgrade and will be ready in time for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup.

Coca-Cola Park will host five group games, one second round game and one quarter-final of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, for which its capacity will be increased by 5,000 seats on the northern side only, to 65,000. Areas like the Presidential suite are already receiving a facelift. There will also be a hospitality room and new changing rooms. The total cost of renovations is R500 million and will be complete in June 2008, 2 years before the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Ellis Park Stadium is:

• More than 30 000 square metres of concrete was poured into the structure.
• More than 4 500 tons of reinforcement was used in the floor area of 48 000 square metres – and this does not include the seating areas.
• Nearly 500 000 pockets of cement went into the work done over 3,2 million man hours.
• There are about 3,1 million bricks laid at the stadium, 1372 windows of various sizes, more than 4,1km of handrails and a total of 70km piping for chairs.
• There are fifty 200 watt speakers, thirty 30 watt speakers & 245 speakers clustered around the stadium.