The Mbombela Stadium, one of the five new venues for World Cup 2010, is located in the northeastern city of Nelspruit. The city is home to more than 200,000 people, making it one of the tournament’s smallest host cities.

Nelspruit was founded in 1905 by members of the Nel family, who used the area as a place to graze their cattle during winter.

The city is well known for its manufacturing and agricultural exploits, most notably with the fruit industry. Many citrus and tropical fruits, like oranges, mangos, and bananas are grown in the area, and fruit canning is one of the city’s main industries.

It has seen a lot of growth in recent years after being made the capital of the Mpumalanga Province, and being a World Cup host city will bring will be a significant boost to the city’s economy, profile, and potential for future growth.

From a tourism standpoint, the nearby Kruger National Park, one of the largest game reserves in Africa, is arguably the most popular tourist attraction in the area. There, you can find nearly 2,000 species of plants, more than 500 species of birds, and nearly 150 species of mammals, including more than 5,000 giraffes, which were the inspiration for the Mbombela Stadium’s roof supports (and as a result, the stadium‘s nickname as well).

See all World Cup host cities.