Moses Mabhida Stadium named after Moses Mabhida, a former General Secretary of the SACP, is intended to be a world-class multi-use stadium in Durban, South Africa. It will be one of the host stadiums for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The stadium has a planned capacity of between 70,000 and 80,000 people. Moses Mabhida Stadium is adjacent to the ABSA Stadium in the Kings Park Sporting Precinct. As part of the city’s plans for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Kings Park Soccer Stadium was demolished in late 2006 to make way for the new stadium complex which includes an adjoining indoor arena, sporting museum, sports institute and a new transmodal transport station.
The stadium is one of the venues for the 2010 FIFA World Cup and will host five group games, one second round game, one quarter-final and a semi-final match. Some wondered whether Durban actually needed a new stadium and were critical of the new venue, claiming that it would become a “white elephant” after the FIFA World Cup. For example the shack dwellers’ movement Abahlali baseMjondolo has strenuously opposed the building of this stadium. However, the stadium may be used to bid for future Rugby World Cups and, since it will have an athletic track, future athletic or multi-sport events.