Posted in News on Jun 10, 2009.
Kaizer Chiefs will face the visiting English club at the Absa stadium in Durban on Tuesday, 21 July (20h15 kickoff), before Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs clash in the annual Vodacom Challenge Soweto Derby at the new Nelson Mandela Bay stadium in Port Elizabeth on Thursday, 23 July (20h15 kickoff). The winner of the derby will compete against Manchester City for the coveted Vodacom Challenge title, at Loftus Versfeld, Tshwane on Saturday, 25 July (15h00 kickoff).
“The Vodacom Challenge is renowned as a football spectacular and in the 10th year it seemed right to offer football fanatics who have not previously had a chance to experience the Vodacom Challenge, the opportunity to do so,” said SAIL Group spokesperson Sizwe Nzimande.
“Although a number of host cities including Cape Town, Rustenburg and Mmabatho were considered, Polokwane in the Limpopo Province was eventually selected as the host city for the opening match as it ticked the most boxes for SAIL as promoter, the teams and the avid soccer supporter base in the Limpopo Province.”
“The hosting of a match in the Vodacom Challenge will be a first for Polokwane. The new-format Vodacom Challenge has traditionally been played in the larger metropolises. With no PSL fixtures hosted in Polokwane the province furtherest north is soccer-starved. With an avid soccer supporter base in the Limpopo Province, the match is set to be a sell out.”
Nzimande added: “As Manchester City is building their team ahead of the new Barclays Premiership season, a number of exciting new signings like England player, Gareth Barry, are expected to make the trip to South Africa. The team management has indicated a very strong training-focus for the tournament. The altitude and facilities on offer in Polokwane best suited their requirements. For the ever-improving Orlando Pirates, coming off the back of a second place in the PSL last season, they will be looking to share their successes with their supporters in the Limpopo Province.”
The tournament promoters have also gone the extra mile to ensure that prices are as reasonable as possible with tickets for the Limpopo leg of the event set at R100 per ticket (main grandstand, unreserved seating) and R45 per ticket (open seating, unreserved seating).
KwaZulu Natal soccer supporters will be able to choose between the categories of R350 each (suite tickets), R150 each (main grandstand, reserved), R100 each (north and south stands reserved), R75 each (east stand lower, reserved) and R45 each (east stand upper, unreserved).
Tickets for the Soweto Derby clash in Port Elizabeth will be on sale at R45 each, while a ticket rush is expected as soccer supporters look to secure their places for the final in Tshwane, at a cost of R350 each (suite tickets), R150 each (main grandstand, reserved), R100 (north and south stands, reserved), R75 each (east lower stand, unreserved) and R45 each (east upper stand unreserved).
Tickets will go on sale at Computicket, Shoprite, Checkers and Checkers Hyper outlets as of Monday, 15th June 2009.
