Systems Solutions en el Soccer City Stadium

The remodeled South African stadium, heart of the 2010 World Cup, integrates IPTV and high definition video distribution supplied by Systems Solutions.

Soccer City Stadium, the stadium where the opening and closing of the World Cup in South Africa will take place next year, has awarded Systems Solutions, a subsidiary of Gearhouse South Africa, a contract for the installation of important high definition video distribution networks.

One of the strong points of the project will be two 86m2 Lighthouse R16i/o-II screens whose signal will be fed from a Vista Spyder control system together with Christie's new Vista Universal Routing Switcher. The control will be managed from an AV Stumpfl ISEO master control, a solution that will interconnect the different systems, devices and applications. From the ISEO, all the devices involved will be controlled from the ingestion of signals until their arrival on the giant LED screens and all the screens and monitors distributed throughout this huge stadium. The system will also supervise the playout of digital signage, incorporating warning messages or advertisements on selected screens or throughout the network via IPTV.

The temple of football

The Soccer City Stadium not only represents one of the most artistic and inspiring venues on the African continent, but, newly built, it will serve as the venue for the opening match and final of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa. Its design is inspired by the African branch known as calabash, whose aesthetic is wonderfully appreciated at night. Soccer City is located in the southwest of Johannesburg, close to one of the most soccer-fanatic areas in the region: Soweto, where close to 40% of Johannesburg's population lives.

Soccer City can be considered the cathedral of South African football. In the mid-1980s, several South African football club officials joined forces to build the country's first international football stadium, the construction of which was funded by the football fraternity.

Soccer City was the scene of Nelson Mandela's first mass speech after his release in 1990. Thousands of people also gathered at the stadium in 1993 to mourn the death of Chris Hani. Soccer City also hosted the final of the 1996 African Cup of Nations, of which South Africa became champion.

The original capacity of the stadium, known as FNB, was 80,000 spectators, but after the planned renovations its capacity has been increased to 94,700 seats with the addition of a sliding roof and new dressing rooms.