City’ sporting venues prepare to screen World Cup matches

Football fever is sweeping across Pietermaritzburg as businesses, sporting venues and community organisations prepare to welcome supporters for the 2026 Fifa World Cup. With South Africa competing on football’s biggest stage, several fan parks and public viewing areas are expected to be established across the city, while sports bars, restaurants and entertainment venues gear up for what promises to be four weeks of football excitement. Among the venues likely to attract football fans are Collegians Sports Pub, Eddels Sports and Social Club, Maritzburg East Sports and Recreation Club, Club Woodlander, Saki Sports Bar, The Kick and Whistle, Bulldog Sports Pub and Franki Bananaz Sports Bar.

These venues are expected to go the extra mile to create a vibrant atmosphere for supporters throughout the tournament. The Msunduzi Municipality is also working on plans to revive the traditional World Cup fan park experience. Msunduzi Mayor Mzimkhulu Thebolla confirmed that discussions are under way with a potential partner to make the fan park a reality.

“We are currently speaking and making arrangements with one of the potential partners to put it together. The discussions are looking positive, and more details will be communicated in due course,” said Thebolla. Meanwhile, the Pietermaritzburg Botanical Gardens is also preparing activities aimed at recreating some of the excitement and atmosphere experienced during the 2010 Fifa World Cup hosted in South Africa.

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As anticipation builds ahead of Bafana Bafana’s opening match, several former football stars have rallied behind the national team and called on South Africans to unite in support of the squad. Former Durban Bush Bucks midfielder and ex-Maritzburg United coach Mlungisi “Professor” Ngubane believes Bafana Bafana’s opening fixture could be crucial to their campaign.

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