Soccer City Stadium, Johannesburg

At 1,753 metres Johannesburg is the highest World Cup venue, and is the economic and business capital of South Africa in its richest region. It became a city in the late 19th century during a gold rush to mine the rich Witwatersrand reef.

Known by inhabitants as Jozi or Joburg, it was also a centre of political agitation against apartheid before majority rule in 1994, especially in the township of Soweto, and there are important symbols of the struggle, including the Apartheid Museum and Nelson Mandela's old home.

South Africa's best-known sides, Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates, play in Johannesburg, as well as the university side BidVest Wits, nicknamed the "Clever Boys".

Two stadiums, Soccer City and Ellis Park, will host 15 matches.

Originally built in the 1980s, the Soccer City stadium has been extensively redeveloped into a spectacular venue, covered in brown tiles and shaped to resemble a calabash or African pot. It will be the biggest stadium in Africa with a capacity of around 90,000 and will host both the opening match and final.

Mandela's first mass rally after his release from 27 years of jail in 1990 was at Soccer City.