Ajax secure World Cup stadium

Ajax Cape Town have brokered a deal with the City of Cape Town to play their home games at Cape Town Stadium for the next three years.

George Comitis, the Ajax chief executive, said on Tuesday that the Urban Warriors would play all their matches at the 2010 World Cup venue, except when the City of Cape Town had booked the venue for major events.

When that happened, Comitis said, Ajax were likely to play at Newlands Rugby Stadium.

“Cape Town Stadium is a public asset and managing a public asset  like this elevates the demand for its usage by local organisations,” said Comitis.

“We are proud to be associated with the Cape Town Stadium and to  call this our home.

“We have plans to make sure that this partnership works to the benefit of all Capetonians.

“We are privileged to train at a world class facility like Ikamva and play at a world class venue, the Cape Town Stadium.

“This has always been the vision of Ajax Cape Town football club.”   

Last season the club enjoyed a 150% increase in spectator  attendances at home games after turning out at the World Cup venue.

In a record for a Premier Soccer League match, more than 31,000 people walked through the turnstiles to watch Ajax’s last home game  of the 2010/2011 season, when the club finished runners-up to Orlando Pirates.

Ajax’s public relations officer, Thabiso Mekuto, said the possibility of using the World Cup stadium was first mooted at the end of last season.

“We discussed the possibility of using the stadium because we believed that we could create a better atmosphere for fans in a world-class facility,” said Mekuto.

“We are also faced with the challenge of growing as a team, and as that happens Cape Town people respond to the kind of football we  play there.”   

Ajax had a light training session on the manicured Cape Town Stadium turf on Tuesday in preparation for their MTN8 quarterfinal clash with Supersport United on Friday night.