Visiting Cape Town Stadium
Before the original structure was demolished and rebuilt, the first iteration of Cape Town Stadium hosted high-profile acts like Michael Jackson, U2, and Metallica. The push to host the 2010 World Cup, the first event of its scale held on the continent of Africa, drove the development of this new venue. Following the groundbreaking ceremony on March 20, 2007, the stadium, which some locals affectionately dubbed the African Renaissance Stadium, opened two years later with a final capacity of 55,000. It hosted its first match on January 23, 2010, when 20,000 fans turned out for the Cape Town derby between Ajax Cape Town Football Club and Santos Cape Town Football Club. Six months later, Cape Town Stadium held its first World Cup match, a scoreless draw between France and Uruguay.
Beyond sports
Cape Town Stadium was built primarily to provide South Africa with top-tier infrastructure for the 2010 World Cup. However, soccer is not the only sport to take center stage here. Rugby, one of the nation's most popular sports, has also been played in this state-of-the-art facility. The venue serves as a major concert hub as well. Notable performances include a massive show by Lady Gaga on December 3, 2012, as part of her "The Born This Way Ball" tour, followed by a Rihanna concert at the same site on October 16, 2013.
I didn't see the inside of this stadium, but from the outside, it looks really impressive.