The 2017 COSAFA Castle Cup will be played at two venues in South Africa’s North West Province from June 25-July 9.
The Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace and Moruleng Stadium both provide world-class facilities for the players and spectators alike.
Here is a run-down of the two venues:
ROYAL BAFOKENG SPORTS PALACE
Capacity: 44,350
Town: Phokeng
About: The Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace was opened in 2009 but received a renovation 10 years later in preparation for its hosting of matches at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
It hosted six games in all at the global showpiece, including the 1-1 draw between England and USA, and the famous 2-1 victory for Ghana over the Americans.
The stadium had also hosted four games at the FIFA Confederations Cup a year earlier, while is also staged seven games at the 2013 African Nations Cup, marking it out as one of South Africa’s premier footballing venues.
The stadium was build and is managed by the Royal Bafokeng Nation, and is the home ground of Premier Soccer League side Platinum Stars.
It has an athletics track and has also hosted provincial rugby games in the past.
The venue will host six first round games in the 2017 COSAFA Castle Cup, as well as all four quarterfinals and the final.
MORULENG STADIUM
Capacity: 20,000
Town: Moruleng
About: The Moruleng was built as a training venue for the 2010 FIFA World Cup and has seen some of the biggest names in world football grace its pitch.
Opened in 2009 ahead of the showpiece tournament, it is a state-of-the-art facility in the small mining town of Moruleng some 60-kilometres from Rustenburg near the famed Sun City resort.
The venue is an alternate ground for South African Premier Soccer League side Platinum Stars and complies with all FIFA stadium regulations.
The England national team played the local North West province club at the facility in a friendly match ahead of the World Cup, while top African side Algeria have also played there.
The stadium was built by the Bakgatla Ba Kgafela tribe, which is scattered across 32 villages in the North West province. The tribe’s main source of wealth comes from mining platinum.
It will host six first round matches, as well as the Cup and Plate semifinals, and the Cup third-place play-off and Plate final.
