Orlando Stadium
info Stadium Snapshot
- Address Dube, Soweto, Johannesburg
- Capacity 40,000
- Surface Natural grass
- Built 1959
- Renovated 2008 (full rebuild, R280m)
- Record attendance 37,139 (post-rebuild reopening)
- Architect Boogertman + Partners
- Owner City of Johannesburg
Johannesburg, South Africa
Mooki Street, Dube, Soweto, Johannesburg 1801
Find Your Best View
Home End (North — Buccaneers Ultras)
Orlando Pirates supporters' block. Drums, flags, skull-and-crossbones bandanas. Behind the north goal. Loudest section in the ground.
Main Stand (Covered, East)
TV-camera side, covered, cushioned seats. VIP sections adjacent. Best view of play.
Family Block (West Stand)
Mixed crowd, no-flares policy, family-friendly. Partially covered.
Away End (South)
Segregation zone for travelling supporters. Separate entry via south gate, separate concessions, police escort on derby days.
How to get there
directions_car
By car
20–40 min from Sandton and central Johannesburg
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By car
20–40 min from Sandton and central Johannesburg
Typical Fare
Indicative pricing
Orlando Stadium sits on Mooki Street in Dube, Soweto, 3 km north-east of Vilakazi Street. From Sandton the drive takes 30 minutes off-peak and 40–55 minutes on Orlando Pirates match-days via the M1 and Soweto Highway. From the Johannesburg CBD the drive is 20–35 minutes.
- arrow_right On-site parking for roughly 2,800 cars; fills 2 hours before kickoff
- arrow_right Overflow parking at Orlando East and the Mooki Street spill-off
- arrow_right Arrive 2 hours before kickoff for Soweto Derby — Mooki Street closes to non-ticketed traffic 90 min pre-match
- arrow_right Uber, Bolt, and inDrive all run heavy Soweto match-day coverage
local_taxi
By taxi / ride-hail
Uber, Bolt, or inDrive from anywhere in Johannesburg
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By taxi / ride-hail
Uber, Bolt, or inDrive from anywhere in Johannesburg
Typical Fare
Indicative pricing
All three ride-hail apps run reliable coverage into Dube on match-day. Drop-off is on Mooki Street at the main gate; post-match pickup uses the same point but clearance can take 30 minutes. Minibus taxis also run from Bara Taxi Rank for R15 per seat.
- arrow_right Card, cash, and SnapScan all work with Johannesburg drivers
- arrow_right Match-day surge on Uber hits 2.0x for Soweto Derby
- arrow_right Book return before kickoff on derby days — post-match availability drops
directions_bus
By Rea Vaya / minibus
Rea Vaya BRT plus minibus from Soweto ranks
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By Rea Vaya / minibus
Rea Vaya BRT plus minibus from Soweto ranks
Typical Fare
Indicative pricing
The Rea Vaya BRT runs from central Johannesburg to Soweto with a stop at Thokoza Park, a short minibus hop from Orlando Stadium. Minibus taxis from Bara Taxi Rank go directly to the stadium for R15–25 per seat. Metrorail Orlando Station is 1.5 km away.
- arrow_right Rea Vaya Thokoza Park stop: minibus to stadium for R10–15
- arrow_right Metrorail Orlando Station: 1.5 km walk or minibus connection
flight
From the airport
35 km · 40–55 minutes via N12 and N1
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From the airport
35 km · 40–55 minutes via N12 and N1
OR Tambo International Airport is 35 km north-east of Orlando Stadium. The drive runs 40 minutes off-peak and 55 minutes in rush hour via the N12 and N1. Gautrain runs from the airport to Park Station in 30 minutes; transfer to Rea Vaya BRT or ride-hail from there.
- arrow_right Pre-book a hotel pickup for match-day morning arrivals
- arrow_right Airport → Orlando: Uber R480–720 · metered taxi R650–950 · Gautrain + Rea Vaya R180–220
Where to buy tickets
Computicket + Orlando Pirates FC
PSL tickets for Orlando Pirates sell through Computicket and the official orlandopiratesfc.com store. Soweto Derby tickets go via Ticketmaster SA. Pre-season friendlies and cup fixtures typically land on Computicket.
Check current fixtures open_in_newWhitelisted secondary market
When the official portal sells out, these are the only resellers we recommend.
Match-Day Timeline
Gates open
Early arrival recommended for Soweto Derby. Mooki Street closes to non-ticketed traffic from −90 min.
Kickoff −2.5hWarm-up begins
Concessions open; full food service from −1h. Traditional township fare at Dube-facing concessions.
−2hTeam arrival
Tunnel view from the Main Stand forecourt; Pirates fans line the players' entry
−90 minPre-match show
Big-screen highlights, Buccaneers chants peak in the north end
−30 minMatch begins
KickoffHalf-time concessions
Queues peak 45–55 min
HTStaggered exit
Home blocks released first, away fans held 30 min; Mooki Street reopens 45 min post-match
FT +20 minSafety & fan tips
Orlando Stadium operates under the post-Ellis Park safety framework that reshaped every PSL venue after the 2001 disaster, when 43 fans died in a crush at a Kaizer Chiefs vs Orlando Pirates match at Ellis Park a few kilometres north. That inquiry produced the mandatory phased-entry, ticket-hologram, closed-circuit crowd-monitoring, and overselling-ban rules that Orlando Stadium was rebuilt to meet in 2008. SAPS and private stewards cover every gate on match-day; permanent medical bays sit at each of the four stand corners. The highest-risk periods are the turnstile crush 90 minutes before Soweto Derby kickoff and the Mooki Street exit at full time, where pickpockets target fans distracted by the post-match crowd.
- security Body and bag search at every gate. Zone capacity is enforced by turnstile count — if your gate is paused, walk to an alternative gate in the same zone.
- payments Keep cash and phone split across two pockets. Pickpockets work the Mooki Street queue and the post-match minibus rank.
- warning Do not wear Kaizer Chiefs gold in the Buccaneers end. Soweto Derby segregation is enforced by SAPS.
- medical_services Medi-Response and ER24 on-site at every PSL and derby fixture. Permanent medical bays at each stand corner.
- do_not_disturb Follow steward directions at full time. Staggered exits are mandatory under the post-Ellis Park framework.
Accessibility
- accessible Wheelchair-accessible viewing platforms at the east and west stands, total capacity 180
- elevator Elevator to Main Stand VIP — accessible entry from VIP gate
- hearing Hearing loop active in Main Stand VIP; request at VIP gate
- local_parking Accessible parking at the east car park Bays 1–18 — reserved, book via Computicket or SMSA
- family_restroom Accessible washrooms at every concourse stairwell
- volunteer_activism Companion ticket free — apply to Stadium Management South Africa 7+ days in advance with medical documentation
Where to stay and eat nearby
Hotels — Soweto and Rosebank
Four-star in Kliptown on the Freedom Charter site. Popular with visiting supporters and tour groups for Soweto Derby.
Book Directopen_in_newFour-star design hotel at Rosebank with direct Gautrain link. Good for visitors without a car.
Book on Radissonopen_in_newAll-suite mid-range hotel in Braamfontein. Reliable pick for a one-night match-day stay.
Book on Marriottopen_in_newPre-match bars
Soweto township-tourism institution on Vilakazi Street. Traditional food, live music, busy on derby days.
Pan-African cuisine, outdoor seating, Pirates and Chiefs flags on match-days.
Soweto nightlife cluster with sports bars, Afrobeats, and street food. Classic Pirates pre-match stop.
Post-match food
Legendary Soweto restaurant, walking distance from Orlando. Traditional pap and stew; long-time Pirates hangout.
Under the Orlando cooling towers. Shisa nyama, live music, busy post-match.
Rooftop fine dining with grill focus. Late kitchen on match-nights.
Historical Significance
Orlando Stadium opened in 1959 in Dube, Soweto — the year Orlando Pirates, founded 1937, formally moved its home fixtures to the new ground. For almost five decades the original bowl was the spiritual home of Soweto football, hosting countless derby fixtures, protest rallies during the apartheid era, and some of the defining matches of South African township sport. The ground was demolished in 2006 and rebuilt from scratch at a reported cost of R280 million, reopening in 2008 with Boogertman + Partners as lead architect. The new bowl holds 40,000 and was designed to FIFA safety standards as the 2010 World Cup preparation work reshaped every major Johannesburg venue. In 2025 the stadium took on the Orlando Amstel Arena branding under a long-term sponsorship with Amstel; the City of Johannesburg remains the owner and Stadium Management South Africa runs the operations alongside the Orlando Pirates tenancy.
Built
1959
Renovated
2008
Surface
Natural grass
Record
37,139
Notable matches
First competitive fixture at the new Orlando Stadium. Pirates formally adopted the ground as their home.
First competitive fixture at the rebuilt Orlando. Full house of 37,139 — the post-rebuild record attendance.
Soweto Derby. Title-deciding PSL match; Pirates went on to win the championship at season's end.
First fixture under the Orlando Amstel Arena branding; opening game of the 2025 refit.
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Related Pages
Last updated 2026-04-22 · written by Lebo Mokoena.