Johannesburg, ELLIS PARK
Ellis Park was first opened in 1928 as a rugby union stadium and then demolished and rebuilt in 1982. In 1995 it became symbolic of a unified nation when Nelson Mandela, wearing a South Africa rugby shirt and baseball cap, presented the rugby World Cup trophy to victorious Springboks captain Francois Pienaar.
The stadium was also the scene of the worst disaster in the country's sporting history, with 43 people crushed to death and about 250 others injured in April 2001.
A capacity crowd of 60,000 were already inside the stadium for the local football derby between Kaizer Chiefs and the Orlando Pirates when a further 30,000 fans were reportedly still trying to gain entry. A goal sparked a further surge which led to the tragedy.
There was further adversity in January 2007, when high winds blew several advertising boards on to the pitch during a match between Orlando Pirates and Black Leopards, striking an assistant referee and several players; none were seriously hurt. Play resumed seven minutes later, but the match was ultimately abandoned due to torrential rain and lightning.
The stadium was named after JD Ellis, a Johannesburg city councillor who approved the use of the land for its construction. In 2005 it became the first black-owned stadium in South Africa, and three years later a £30m naming rights deal was signed, giving the venue the official title of
It is home to Orlando Pirates FC and hosted the 2009 Confederations Cup final between Brazil and the USA. The ground was given a facelift before that tournament, with a new tier on the north stand increasing capacity by 5,000.
Capacity: 61,000 Built: 1982 (renovated 2009)
12 June, 1500 BST: Argentina v Nigeria (Group B)
15 June, 1930 BST: Brazil v North Korea (Group G)
18 June, 1500 BST: Slovenia v United States (Group C)
21 June, 1930 BST: Spain v Honduras (Group H)
24 June, 1500 BST: Slovakia v Italy (Group F)
28 June, 1930 BST: Round of 16 - 1st Group G v 2nd Group H
3 July, 1930 BST: Quarter-final
Bloemfontein, FREE STATE STADIUM
The stadium's most famous sporting occasion came during last year's Confederations Cup, when Spain's 35-match unbeaten run was ended by the USA in the semi-finals.
Free State Stadium has hosted rugby and football matches since it opened in 1952. A new stadium was built on the site for the 1995 Rugby World Cup, with New Zealand thrashing Japan by a record 145-17 in one match at the ground. It hosted seven football matches the following year for the Africa Cup of Nations.
The venue has been upgraded from a 38,000 to 45,000 capacity with the addition of a second tier to the main grandstand. Other improvements include new turnstiles, improved floodlights and the installation of electronic scoreboards.
A lively atmosphere is all-but guaranteed, as supporters in the sport-mad city are among the most passionate in the country. The principal tenants of the stadium are rugby teams Central Cheetahs and Free State Cheetahs and top-flight football club Bloemfontein Celtic. The city's international cricket ground is opposite.
Capacity: 48,000 Built: 1952 (renovated 2008)
14 June, 1500 BST: Japan v Cameroon (Group E)
17 June, 1500 BST: Greece v Nigeria (Group B)
20 June, 1230 BST: Slovakia v Paraguay (Group F)
22 June, 1500 BST: France v South Africa (Group A)
25 June, 1930 BST: Switzerland v Honduras (Group H)
27 June, 1500 BST: Round of 16 - 1st Group D v 2nd Group C
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Cape Town, CAPE TOWN STADIUM
Nestled between the twin icons of Robben Island and Table Mountain, this £400m (4.4 billion rand) seaside stadium was completed on schedule last December and has been described by mayor Dan Plato as "one of the most beautiful" facilities in the country.
Provincial premier Helen Zille had feared she would not be forgiven if the stadium spoiled the Table Mountain view. There were also concerns about the spiralling cost - it is Cape Town's most expensive building ever - while the stadium has attracted criticism for being located in middle-class Green Point, a long journey from the city's football-loving townships.
The stadium's gently undulating roof was designed to ensure it does not detract from Table Mountain. It has 37,000 square metres of glass roofing to protect spectators from the elements, while the exterior of the stadium is covered with noise-reducing cladding to lessen the disruption to local residents. The fibreglass façade can be lit up at night so that the stadium resembles a rose-coloured bowl.
The venue replaces the 18,000-capacity Green Point Stadium, which is the name the new structure was also initially given during the planning stage. The stadium includes 13,000 temporary seats, which will be removed after the World Cup.
The Green Point common on which the new stadium is built was originally known as "de Waterplaats" (the waterfront) by Dutch settlers in the 18th century, and hosted sailing regattas before being reclaimed from the ocean in the early 1900s.
Capacity: 70,000 Built: 2009)
11 June, 1930 BST: Uruguay v France (Group A)
14 June, 1930 BST: Italy v Paraguay (Group F)
18 June, 1930 BST: England v Algeria (Group C)
21 June, 1230 BST: Portugal v North Korea (Group G)
24 June, 1930 BST: Cameroon v
29 June, 1930 BST: Round of 16 - 1st Group H v 2nd Group G
3 July, 1500 BST: Quarter-final
6 July, 1930 BST: Semi-final
Pretoria, LOFTUS VERSFELD
One of the oldest venues in South Africa, with sport played on the site since 1906. It was known then as the Eastern Sports Ground and renamed in honour of Robert Owen Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria's founder of organised sports, following his death in May 1932.
The stadium hosted matches at the 1995 Rugby World Cup and 1996 Africa Cup of Nations and was where South Africa's football
The first concrete structure at the venue was built by the city council in 1923, with a capacity of only 2,000. The basic facilities were initially improved thanks to a profit made from the All Blacks' tour of 1928, allowing the construction of changing rooms and toilets.
Since then, the stadium has undergone numerous upgrades, latterly in 2008 with improvements made to the floodlights, PA system, scoreboard and roof.
It is home to one of the country's top rugby teams, the Blue Bulls, as well as football clubs Mamelodi Sundowns and SuperSport United.
Capacity: 50,000 Built: 1908 (renovated 2008)
13 June, 1500 BST: Serbia v Ghana (Group D)
16 June, 1930 BST: South Africa v Uruguay (Group A)
19 June, 1930 BST: Cameroon v Denmark (Group E)
23 June, 1500 BST: United States v Algeria (Group C)
25 June, 1930 BST: Chile v Spain (Group H)
29 June, 1500 BST: Round of 16 - 1st Group F v 2nd Group E
Nelspruit, MBOMBELA STADIUM
This is a distinctive new venue, situated 30 miles from the world-famous Kruger National Park. The two main features of its design are the 18 orange roof supports that resemble giraffes, and the black and white seats striped like a zebra. In keeping with the theme of nature, the stadium's corridors are painted green, sky blue and sunset yellow and orange.
The stadium takes its name from the local municipality; mbombela means 'many people together in a small space'. The stadium took two and a half years to build and will be used for football and rugby once the World Cup is over.
A new pitch was laid in March after two previous pitches were ruled, by a Fifa inspection
There has, however, been an ugly undercurrent behind the beauty of the £115m stadium, with allegations of financial irregularities and the murder of a local councilman who had spoken out against the apparent corruption.
Jimmy Mohlala, the speaker of the Mbombela municipality, was shot dead by masked men outside his home in January last year. He had previously prompted investigations into a range of allegations, including the manipulation of tenders for work on the stadium.
Prior to that, a high court judge had blocked an attempt by the municipality to buy the stadium land from a local clan for one rand. The judge accused the council of acting like "colonialists who usurped land from naive Africans in return for shiny buttons and mirrors". They were subsequently ordered to pay over eight million rand (£700,000).
To add to the roll of shame, there were violent clashes between police and local people angered by the failure to adequately replace the two schools which were bulldozed to make room for the stadium.
Capacity: 46,000 Built: 2009
16 June, 1230 BST: Honduras v Chile (Group H)
20 June, 1500 BST: Italy v New Zealand (Group F)
23 June, 1930 BST: Australia v Serbia (Group D)
25 June, 1500 BST: North Korea v Ivory Coast (Group G)
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Durban, MOSES MABHIDA STADIUM
Just a few hundred yards from the Indian Ocean, this new stadium boasts a distinctive 350m-long Y-shaped arch which mirrors the design of the South African flag and represents the unity of a diverse nation.
The ingenuity of the arch, however, lies in its appeal as a tourist attraction. A cable-operated funicular train ascends to a viewing platform at the top, 106m above the pitch, from which visitors can experience spectacular panoramic views of the nearby shoreline and the city. You can even pay to sit in a bungee harness and swing from the arch in a 220m arc over the pitch!
The £250m stadium needs to attract tourists in order for it to be financially viable. It is too large for the local football and cricket teams, and the Sharks rugby union club is reluctant to move from its neighbouring ABSA stadium.
The stadium is named after Moses Mabhida, a humble farmer's son who became general secretary of the South African Communist Party.
Comrade Baba, as he was known by his allies, was born near Pietermaritzburg in 1923 into a poor family who were later forced off their land. Mabhida joined the South African Communist Party in 1942 and rose through the ranks. He died of a heart attack in March 1986, at the age of 63.
The new venue staged its first match last November when hosts AmaZulu lost 1-0 to Maritzburg United in the Premier Soccer League. The capacity will be reduced to 54,000 after the World Cup.
Capacity: 70,000 Built: 2009
13 June, 1930 BST: Germany v Australia (Group D)
16 June, 1500 BST: Spain v Switzerland (Group H)
19 June, 1230 BST:
22 June, 1930 BST: Nigeria v South Korea (Group B)
25 June, 1500 BST: Portugal v Brazil (Group G)
28 June, 1500 BST: Round of 16 - 1st Group E v 2nd Group F
7 July, 1930 BST: Semi-final
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Port Elizabeth, NELSON MANDELA BAY STADIUM
Situated on the shores of the North End Lake in Port Elizabeth, this multi-purpose stadium was the first of the five new venues to be opened, a year to the week before the start of the World Cup.
It had originally been earmarked for use at last summer's Confederations Cup, but was removed from the list of stadia in 2008 amid concerns over its readiness.
The first competitive game at the stadium was on 16 June 2009, when the touring British & Irish Lions rugby
The £170m stadium went nearly 50% over budget. This was partly due to the complexity in constructing the eye-catching roof, which is comprised of a series of white 'petals' that resemble a sunflower when viewed from above.
Port Elizabeth is South Africa's fifth-largest city, but there had never previously been a venue in the area designed to host top-level football matches.
Capacity: 48,000 Built: 2009
12 June, 1230 BST: South Korea v Greece (Group B)
15 June, 1500 BST: Ivory Coast v Portugal (Group G)
18 June, 1230 BST: Germany v Serbia (Group D)
21 June, 1500 BST: Chile v Switzerland (Group H)
23 June, 1500 BST: Slovenia v England (Group C)
26 June, 1500 BST: Round of 16 - 1st Group A v 2nd Group B
2 July, 1500 BST: Quarter-final
10 July, 1930 BST: Third place play-off
Polokwane, PETER MOKABA STADIUM
One of five new venues built for the 2010 World Cup. It replaced an adjacent stadium by the same name after initial upgrade plans were abandoned in favour of a new construction. Opened in January, the stadium cost £115m.
The stadium is named after Peter Mokaba, an anti-apartheid activist who was born in Polokwane and famed for his fighting spirit and leadership skills. He died on 9 June 2002, aged 43.
The design of the largely concrete structure is inspired by the local, iconic Baobab tree, with the roof supported by columns resembling the tree's enormous trunks.
Capacity: 46,000 Built: 2010
13 June, 1230 BST: Algeria v Slovenia (Group C)
17 June, 1930 BST: France v Mexico (Group A)
22 June, 1930 BST: Greece v Argentina (Group B)
24 June, 1500 BST: Paraguay v New Zealand (Group F)
Rustenburg, ROYAL BAFOKENG STADIUM
The venue for England's opening World Cup match, against the USA, is named after the semi-autonomous Royal Bafokeng Nation, a 300,000-strong tribe which owns shares in the region's platinum mines.
The Bafokeng part-funded the stadium, which was completed in 1999. The initial cost of £39m more than doubled with the upgrades required for the World Cup, according to figures provided by the local government.
The west stand was enlarged to house 5,000 extra seats and is covered by a cantilever roof, while new electronic scoreboards, floodlights and a public address system have been added.
The first football match at the stadium was South Africa's League Cup final in December 1999, won by Sundowns against Free State Stars. The venue also hosted the first match of the British and Irish Lions tour last summer.
Though Rustenburg is nominally the host city, the stadium is seven miles away in the unprepossessing small town of Phokeng, the capital of the Royal Bafokeng Nation.
The Bafokeng acquired legal title to the surrounding land in the 19th century and won a legal battle against a major platinum producer in 1999, entitling them to 22 per cent of the platinum royalties.
King Kgosi Leruo Molotlegi II has subsequently embarked on major investment in infrastructure, with a particular focus on sport.
Capacity: 42,000 Built: 1999 (renovated 2010)
12 June, 1930 BST: England v United States (Group C)
15 June, 1230 BST: New Zealand v Slovakia (Group F)
19 June, 1500 BST: Ghana v Australia (Group D)
22 June, 1500 BST: Mexico v Uruguay (Group A)
24 June, 1930 BST: Denmark v Japan (Group E)
26 June, 1930 BST: Round of 16 - 1st Group C v 2nd Group D
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Johannesburg, SOCCER CITY
The newly-reconstructed stadium is the World Cup's flagship venue. Costing £290m, its design is inspired by the calabash, a hollowed-out gourd (similar in shape to a pumpkin) used as a cooking pot or water carrier throughout Africa.
The calabash is also reflected in the colouring of the orange and brown membrane that surrounds the stadium, while a ring of lights will illuminate the bottom of the structure, simulating fire underneath the pot.
The players' tunnel that leads from the dressing rooms to the pitch has been built to resemble the inside of a gold mine, in tribute to the industry that led to Johannesburg's growth.
The stadium was built on the site of the historic FNB Stadium. In 1990, more than 100,000 people rallied at the ground to hear Nelson Mandela, newly released from prison, call for a unified South Africa. Six years later, the venue hosted the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations final in which South Africa beat Tunisia.
Work on the stadium's rebuild started in January 2007, and involved up to 3,500 construction workers, daily. Johannesburg authorities admitted in March that the project went £90m over budget due to the rising price of building materials. The stadium is located in the south-west of the city, close to Soweto.
Capacity: 94,700 Built: 1987 (renovated 2009)
11 June, 1500 BST: South Africa v Mexico (Group A)
14 June, 1230 BST:
17 June, 1230 BST: Argentina v South Korea (Group B)
20 June, 1930 BST: Brazil v Ivory Coast (Group G)
23 June, 1930 BST: Ghana v Germany (Group D)
27 June, 1930 BST: Round of 16 - 1st Group B v 2nd Group A
2 July, 1930 BST: Quarter-final
11 July, 1930 BST: Final
GROUP A
Teams: France, Mexico, South Africa, Uruguay
11 June, 1500 BST: South Africa v Mexico (Soccer City, Johannesburg)
11 June, 1930 BST: Uruguay v France (Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town)
16 June, 1930 BST: South Africa v Uruguay (Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria)
17 June, 1930 BST: France v Mexico (Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane)
22 June, 1500 BST: France v South Africa (Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein)
22 June, 1500 BST: Mexico v Uruguay (Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg)
The winners of Group A will play the Group B runners-up at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth. The Group A runners-up will play the Group B winners at Soccer City in Johannesburg.
GROUP B
Teams: Argentina, Greece, Nigeria, South Korea
12 June, 1500 BST: Argentina v Nigeria (Ellis Park, Johannesburg)
12 June, 1230 BST: South Korea v Greece (Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth)
17 June, 1230 BST: Argentina v South Korea (Soccer City, Johannesburg)
17 June, 1500 BST: Greece v Nigeria (Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein)
22 June, 1930 BST: Greece v Argentina (Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane)
22 June, 1930 BST: Nigeria v South Korea (Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban)
The winners of Group B will play the Group A runners-up at Soccer City in Johannesburg. The Group B runners-up will play the Group A winners at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth.
GROUP C
Teams: Algeria, England, Slovenia, United States
12 June, 1930 BST: England v United States (Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg)
13 June, 1230 BST: Algeria v Slovenia (Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane)
18 June, 1500 BST: Slovenia v United States (Ellis Park, Johannesburg)
18 June, 1930 BST: England v Algeria (Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town)
23 June, 1500 BST: Slovenia v England (Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth)
23 June, 1500 BST: United States v Algeria (Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria)
The winners of Group C will play the Group D runners-up at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg. The Group C runners-up will play the Group D winners at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein.
GROUP D
Teams: Australia, Germany, Ghana, Serbia
13 June, 1500 BST: Serbia v Ghana (Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria)
13 June, 1930 BST: Germany v Australia (Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban)
18 June, 1230 BST: Germany v Serbia (Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth)
19 June, 1500 BST: Ghana v Australia (Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg)
23 June, 1930 BST: Australia v Serbia (Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit)
23 June, 1930 BST: Ghana v Germany (Soccer City, Johannesburg)
The winners of Group D will play the Group C runners-up at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein. The Group D runners-up will play the Group C winners at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg.
GROUP E
Teams: Cameroon, Denmark, Japan,
14 June, 1230 BST:
14 June, 1500 BST: Japan v Cameroon (Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein)
19 June, 1230 BST:
19 June, 1930 BST: Cameroon v Denmark (Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria)
24 June, 1930 BST: Cameroon v
24 June, 1930 BST: Denmark v Japan (Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg)
The winners of Group E will play the Group F runners-up at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban. The Group E runners-up will play the Group F winners at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.
GROUP F
Teams: Italy, New Zealand, Paraguay, Slovakia
14 June, 1930 BST: Italy v Paraguay (Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town)
15 June, 1230 BST: New Zealand v Slovakia (Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg)
20 June, 1230 BST: Slovakia v Paraguay (Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein)
20 June, 1500 BST: Italy v New Zealand (Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit)
24 June, 1500 BST: Paraguay v New Zealand (Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane)
24 June, 1500 BST: Slovakia v Italy (Ellis Park, Johannesburg)
The winners of Group F will play the Group E runners-up at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria. The Group F runners-up will play the Group E winners at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.
GROUP G
Teams: Brazil, Ivory Coast, North Korea, Portugal
15 June, 1500 BST: Ivory Coast v Portugal (Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth)
15 June, 1930 BST: Brazil v North Korea (Ellis Park, Johannesburg)
20 June, 1930 BST: Brazil v Ivory Coast (Soccer City, Johannesburg)
21 June, 1230 BST: Portugal v North Korea (Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town)
25 June, 1500 BST: North Korea v Ivory Coast (Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit)
25 June, 1500 BST: Portugal v Brazil (Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban)
The winners of Group G will play the Group H runners-up at Ellis Park in Johannesburg. The Group G runners-up will play the winners of Group H at the Cape Town Stadium in Cape Town.
GROUP H
Teams: Chile, Honduras, Spain, Switzerland
16 June, 1230 BST: Honduras v Chile (Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit)
16 June, 1500 BST: Spain v Switzerland (Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban)
21 June, 1500 BST: Chile v Switzerland (Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth)
21 June, 1930 BST: Spain v Honduras (Ellis Park, Johannesburg)
25 June, 1930 BST: Chile v Spain (Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria)
25 June, 1930 BST: Switzerland v Honduras (Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein)
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