German Chancellor visits Soccer City
German Chancellor Angela Merkel visited Soccer City during a two-day visit to South Africa. It is considered to be the most important stadium for the 2010 World Championships. Interbeton bv (the operating company of Royal BAM Group nv, active outside Europe) is in the process of constructing the stadium in joint venture with the South-African construction company Grinaker-LTA.
Angela Merkel said that her country would help South Africa any way it can in organizing the world championships. Germany hosted the last World Cup in 2006.
Soccer City will have 94,700 seats. The contract value amounts to approximately € 160 million, of which 25 per cent for Interbeton. BAM's specialised German subsidiary HBM Stadien- und Sportstättenbau brings in its expertise to realise Soccer City. The stadium will be completed in 2009.