There have been a few rumblings online regarding the state of some pitches in South Africa. However, the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane is exempt from such criticisms ahead of hosting Bafana Bafana in March.
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Over the last year, Bafana Bafana has played matches across several provinces at various stadiums, a move that has evidently delighted many supporters.
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Their last game against Uganda in November 2024 was played at the Cape Town Stadium in the Western Cape.
A month prior, Hugo Broos' side faced Congo at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in the Eastern Cape, while their match against Zimbabwe in July 2024 took place at the Free State Stadium.
Both Bafana coach Broos and captain Ronwen Williams have expressed their satisfaction with the national team's games being played across the country, allowing fans from different regions to attend in large numbers.
Next to host Bafana is the Peter Mokaba Stadium, where the national team will take on neighbours Lesotho in matchday five of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Impressively, the Polokwane Municipality has confirmed that preparations for hosting the match are already underway, with the pitch already in excellent condition despite closing down for more than a month due to the ground taking significant damage after hosting concerts during the last festive season.
In a statement on X this week, the municipality stated; "The New Peter Mokaba Stadium's pitch has had its first grass cutting, signalling the countdown to its reopening. Polokwane Municipality is set to host the exciting Southern African derby between Bafana Bafana and Lesotho."
Notably, there have been ongoing debates over the state of pitches in South Africa, with concerns raised about the condition of Loftus Versfeld Stadium, among others.
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