Bloemfontein will be hosting teams at the Free State Stadium, which currently seats approximately 38,000 people. The stadium derives its name from the province in which it is located. The stadium played host to group and quarter-final matches at the CAF Africa Cup of Nations in 1996 and the IRB Rugby World Cup in 1995. It is also the alternate home ground of Premier Soccer League team, Bloemfontein Celtics.The stadium will be undergoing a costly upgrade and once completed, will have a gross seating capacity of 48,000. The stadium will be used as a venue for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup.A second tier is being added to the western pavilion, which will increase the stadium's gross capacity from approximately 38,000 to 45,000.

Bloemfontein's open spaces reflect the openness of its people - friendly, warm and quietly dignified. Bloemfontein's citizens are a unique blend of rural tranquillity and vibrant city life.

Located in the central interior of South Africa, Bloemfontein is the judicial capital of South Africa and the provincial capital of the Free State Province. It is sometimes referred to as the 'City of Roses', due to the abundance of flowers and the annual rose festival held in the city. It is no surprise that flowers have a important place in the city. The Bloemfontein Orchard House has a vast collection of floral treasures and there is a fragrance garden for the blind. Bloem, as it is nicknamed, also has an inner city game reserve.

The Appeal Court is the highest court in South Africa and is seated in the city. The regal stinkwood paneled courtroom was completed in 1929. The city hall is a magnificent sandstone building built by Sir Gordon Leith.

The Free State is bordered by six of South Africa's nine provinces and the country of Lesotho.

The city has a wealth of culture and history, reflected by its rich architectural heritage, numerous museums and monuments.

Bloemfontein is an excellent place to start discovering the Free State Province. The Golden Gate National Park in the eastern Free State has sandstone cliffs, which illuminate in gold hues when the sun strikes the exposed cliffs. The Vredefort Dome is the oldest impact crater in the world, dating back 2,023 million years and the expansive Gariep Dam is a local favourite among the landlocked people of the Free State and Gauteng.

History
Chief Yoruka and the Barolong tribe settled in the area around Thaba Nchu in the early 1830s. In the late 1800s the Free State became home to Chief Moshoeshoe and the Basotho tribe. The area became a safe haven for tribes fleeing Shaka Zulu.

The city, founded by Dutch and English settlers in the city in the mid-1800s. Bloemfontein is a true blend of the past, present and future. Bloemfontein's rich cultural and historical heritage is reflected in its museums, art galleries and cultural festivals.

Bloemfontein is rumoured to have been named after an abundance of roses which grew around a fountain on a farm owned by a Dutch settler (Voortrekker), Johannes Nicolaas Brit. Bloemfontein literally means 'fountain of flowers' in Dutch

Football
Football in the Free State capital, Bloemfontein, was first played in 1891, when the territory was an independent Boer republic, known as the 'Oranje Vrij Staat'. Famous clubs like Aberdeen, Dundee United (both Scotland), Newcastle United (England), Ajax Amsterdam (Netherlands) and Eintracht Frankfurt (Germany) played tour matches in the territory. Bloemfontein City played briefly as the first professional club of the city.

Bloemfontein Celtic are the city's best known footballing product. The fans of Bloemfontien Celtic are renowned for their enthusiasm. The team's kit is very similar to the Scottish team Celtic, with green and white horizontal stripes.

The Free State Stars finished at the top of the First Division in 2007, consequently earning a place in the top flight for the 2007/2008 season.

The Free State Stadium was the setting for most of Group B's games during the 1996 CAF Africa Cup of Nations, which was hosted by South Africa.