The Stadium

Bloemfontein's big arena was built in 1952, upgraded for the 1995 Rugby World Cup, and upgraded again for FIFA World Cup 2010 ­– and its capacity now is a roaring 48 000.

The locals here love their soccer, with Bloemfontein Celtic being one of the best-supported teams in South Africa's PSL. They'll be in for some classic FIFA World Cup matches too, judging by what happened at the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup.

This, you'll remember, is where the United States stunned European champions Spain in the pulsating semifinal.

The City

Bloemfontein may be known as the judicial capital of South Africa, but it is arguably more famous for its sporting achievements these days.

The city plays host to the Free State Cheetahs rugby team, while the Gestetner Eagles is a dominant force on the cricket scene.

And of late Mangaung has also been famous for the achievements of its soccer teams, Free State Stars and Bloemfontein Celtic, with the latter's fans known to be the most vocal and loyal in the Premier League.

Bloemfontein was founded in 1846 by British army major Henry Douglas Warden as an outpost for the Transoranje region. It saw terrible loss of life during the Anglo-Boer War, and the National Women's monument pays tribute to the more than 45 000 women and children who died in concentration camps in the area.

The city is also famous in the entertainment world - Lord of the Rings author JRR Tolkien was born in Bloemfontein in 1892.