World Cup Stadium Profile: Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenberg

It's the venue where England will be playing USA in their opening match of the tournament as well as hosting four other group matches. And if the football all gets a bit much for you and safaris and casinos are more your thing, you don't have far to travel, says Ben Lyttleton.

One of the newest existing stadia hosting matches at the World Cup, the
Royal Bafokeng opened in 1999 and is completely funded by the Royal Bafokeng community, an administrative body presiding over the world's richest
platinum mines.

The stadium was built in a saddle shape to reflect its natural surroundings and upgrades were completed in March 2009 for the hosting of four matches during last summer's Confederations Cup. The stadium's latest upgrade has increased the capacity from 39,000 to 42,000, and it will be full for all its matches this summer, not least the first group game it hosts, between England and USA on June 12.

There are four other tasty-looking group games at the Royal Bafokeng - Ghana-Australia, Mexico-Uruguay, Denmark-Japan and New Zealand-Slovakia ­ and there will be one Round of 16 match. The stadium also doubles up as a rugby union and athletics venue, and is the only World Cup venue to have an athletics track around the outside of the pitch ­ not ideal for fans wanting to get close to the action.

One wonderful thing about the Royal Bafokeng, named after the Bafokeng, meaning "People of the Dew", is its location: situated between the bush of the Pilanesberg and the bright lights of Sun City, the venue will be a big draw for safari-seeking World Cup tourists.

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Britain sends South Africa 42m condoms in HIV fight before World Cup

Britain is to give 42m condoms to South Africa in response to a request for an extra billion as part of an HIV prevention drive before the World Cup, the government will announce today.

The request for British help in stockpiling sufficient condoms for the expected influx of thousands of football supporters in three months' time was made during President Jacob Zuma's recent visit to the UK to meet the Queen.

"Obviously there's a big focus on the World Cup coming up and a huge increase in the number of people coming into South Africa," said the international development minister, Gareth Thomas, who will announce the £1m funding today at an emergency summit in London on HIV prevention and treatment. "The South Africans have identified themselves the need to get more condoms in place. South Africa specifically asked for British assistance and we are responding to that request." He pointed out that the fans would inevitably spill over into neighbouring African countries with high HIV rates, which would also need to take precautions.

The South African government estimates that up to half a million visitors could travel to the country, raising fears of a rise in prostitution and sex trafficking from neighbouring countries and eastern Europe, and creating a potential HIV timebomb.

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