Cape Town Stadium is fast becoming the home of soccer, with the venue set to host another high profile international match this month.
Cape Town Stadium will host Bafana Bafana and Central African Republic as they go head-to-head in a World Cup Qualifier on Saturday, 23 March 2013.
Tickets are already available from Computicket, Shoprite Checkers and Cape Town Tourism Visitor Information centres at a cost of R50 or R100. This fixture marks the first official step in Bafana’s bid towards qualifying for the 2014 World Cup. The upcoming game is expected to attract approximately 40 000 spectators.
South Africa is ranked 60th among the world’s soccer teams and Central African Republic lies 51st.
In a bid to galvanise residents into a football fever similar to that of the 2010 World Cup, and in support of the national team, the City of Cape Town calls on all citizens and soccer fans to once more show their support for the sport every Friday in the run-up to the World Cup in Brazil in 2014.
“The re-introduction of ‘Football Fridays’ is a great way for us all to get involved on the road to the World Cup, and show our support for our boys in green and yellow,” says Mayoral Committee Member for Tourism, Events and Marketing, Councillor Grant Pascoe.
“Local supporters are urged to don their favourite green and yellow jerseys in the run-up to the event, to inspire the national team ahead of this critical match. We invite all Capetonians, supporters and visitors of the national team to reignite ‘Football Fridays’,” says Cllr Pascoe.
Last year, thousands of fans came to the stadium to watch Manchester United take on Ajax Cape Town and the City hosted Bafana Bafana when the team played their last warm up match, ahead of the African Cup of Nations, against Norway in January. The two teams met in a friendly encounter, playing to a packed Cape Town Stadium.
There is also the chance that Cape Town may host more well-known international clubs in the coming months, as the city continues to grow its reputation as a leading sports destination. Cllr Pascoe recently travelled to London to meet representatives of three English Premier League clubs to discuss the possibility of the teams’ training or pre-season tours taking place at the stadium.
