Polokwane, formerly known as Pietersburg, is the northern outpost of South Africa, the last major town before the Zimbabwe border. As such, its status as a venue for matches during a 2010 Fifa World Cup in South Africa will open the tournament to many visitors.

The city is calm and the people are down-to-earth. The capital of the Limpopo Province is located in a hot, dry part of the country endowed with vibrant cultural diversity and many successful farms.

Zebediela, south of the city, has become one of South Africa's most extensive citrus estates and the area also yields tropical fruit such as pineapples, mangoes and pawpaws, as well as a variety of nuts and the largest tomato farm in the country.

Polokwane enjoys a stable rate of growth, and its immediate economic and social prospects have been improved by the opening of the Maputo Corridor, creating a new trade route to the Mozambican port.

Situated comfortably in the so-called savanna, an archetypal African landscape of mixed grassland and trees, Polokwane has all the makings of a distinguished venue for a Fifa World Cup.

Sporting Heritage

Soccer enthuses the people of Polokwane and the entire Limpopo province, specifically the performances of the local clubs, Black Leopards and Dynamos.

Indeed this support is so strong and enthusiastic that Safa recently decided to play an important African Cup of Nations qualifying match between the South African national team and the Ivory Coast at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in the city.

Polokwane has not hosted major international rugby or cricket matches, but it has frequently proved a successful venue for world class athletics, winning praise from top international athletes.

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» Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane

The Final 10 Stadiums for the World Cup 2010 in South Africa:

- Green Point Stadium in Cape Town - Nelson Mandela Stadium in Port Elizabeth
- King Senzangakhona Stadium in Durban - Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein
- Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg - Soccer City in Johannesburg
- Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg - Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria
- Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit - Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane