SOCCER CITY

City: Johannesburg

Matches: June 11 - South Africa v Mexico; June 14 - Holland v Denmark; June 17 - Argentina v South Korea; June 20 - Brazil v Ivory Coast; June 23 - Ghana v Germany; June 27 - last 16 match; July 2 - quarter-final; July 11 - final.

Capacity for World Cup: 94,700

Located in the south-west of the city, the stadium's capacity is being raised from 80,000 for the tournament. Built in 1987, it hosted the 1996 African Nations Cup final in which South Africa beat Tunisia.

ELLIS PARK STADIUM

City: Johannesburg

Matches: June 12 - Argentina v Nigeria; June 15 - Brazil v North Korea; June 18 - Slovenia v USA; June 21 - Spain v Honduras; June 24 - Slovakia v Italy; June 28 - last 16 match; July 3 - quarter-final.

Capacity for World Cup: 62,000

The home of Orlando Pirates, Ellis Park's capacity was raised to 62,000 before the 2009 Confederations Cup. First built in 1928 as a rugby union stadium, and then demolished and rebuilt in 1982, it hosted the Rugby World Cup final in 1995, which South Africa won.

GREEN POINT STADIUM

City: Cape Town

Matches: June 11 - Uruguay v France; June 14 - Italy v Paraguay; June 18 - England v Algeria; June 21 - Portugal v North Korea; June 24 - Cameroon v Holland; June 29 - last 16 match; July 3 - quarter-final; July 6 - semi-final.

Capacity for World Cup: 70,000

The newly-built Green Point Stadium, close to the ocean and mountains of Cape Town, will stage eight matches in the spectacular shadow of Table Mountain.

MOSES MABHIDA STADIUM

City: Durban

Matches: June 13 - Germany v Australia; June 16 - Spain v Switzerland; June 19 - Holland v Japan; June 22 - Nigeria v South Korea; June 25 - Portugal v Brazil; June 28 - last 16; July 7 - semi-final.

Capacity for World Cup: 70,000

Another newly-built arena, constructed on the site of the old Kings Park soccer ground, the Moses Mabhida Stadium is just a few hundred yards from the Indian Ocean. Like Wembley, the stadium boasts a distinctive grand arch, which features a cable car and viewing deck.

NELSON MANDELA BAY STADIUM

City: Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth

Matches: June 12 - South Korea v Greece; June 15 - Ivory Coast v Portugal; June 18 - Germany v Serbia; June 21 - Chile v Switzerland; June 23 - Slovenia v England; June 26 - last 16 match; July 2 - quarter-final; July 10 - third-place play-off.

Capacity for World Cup: 48,000

Completed in time for the 2009 Lions rugby union tour, the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium is a state-of-the-art, multi-purpose ground. It will host eight matches at the World Cup and was built especially for the tournament.

MBOMBELA STADIUM

City: Nelspruit

Matches: June 16 - Honduras v Chile; June 20 - Italy v New Zealand; June 23 - Australia v Serbia; June 25 - North Korea v Ivory Coast.

Capacity for World Cup: 46,000

Another newly-built venue for the World Cup, the Mbombela Stadium, about seven kilometres north of Nelspruit, is situated close to the world-famous Kruger National Park.

LOFTUS VERSFELD STADIUM

City: Tshwane/Pretoria

Matches: June 13 - Serbia v Ghana; June 16 - South Africa v Uruguay; June 19 - Cameroon v Denmark; June 23 - USA v Algeria; June 25 - Chile v Spain; June 29 - last 16 match.

Capacity for World Cup: 50,000

One of the oldest stadiums in South Africa, construction began on Loftus Versfeld Stadium in 1923. It is home to Super 14 rugby union team the Blue Bulls and is a regular Springboks Test venue.

FREE STATE STADIUM

City: Mangaung/Bloemfontein

Matches: June 14 - Japan v Cameroon; June 17 - Greece v Nigeria; June 20 - Slovakia v Paraguay; June 22 - France v South Africa; June 25 - Switzerland v Honduras; June 27 - last 16 match.

Capacity for World Cup: 48,000

Upgraded from a capacity of 38,000 for the World Cup, the Free State Stadium hosted Spain's shock defeat to USA in the 2009 Confederations Cup. It is opposite Bloemfontein's international cricket ground.

ROYAL BAFOKENG STADIUM

City: Rustenburg

Matches: June 12 - England v USA; June 15 - New Zealand v Slovakia; June 19 - Ghana v Australia; June 22 - Mexico v Uruguay; June 24 - Denmark v Japan; June 26 - last 16 match.

Capacity for World Cup: 42,000

Originally built as a venue for the 1995 Rugby World Cup, the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace was redeveloped for the football World Cup. It is an impressive bowl-shaped venue with very open seating.

PETER MOKABA STADIUM

City: Polokwane

Matches: June 13 - Algeria v Slovenia; June 17 - France v Mexico; June 22 - Greece v Argentina; June 24 - Paraguay v New Zealand.

Capacity for World Cup: 46,000

A largely concrete structure whose design is inspired by the Baobab tree.