Zuma opens World Cup showpiece stadium

South African President Jacob Zuma on Saturday presided over the opening of Soccer City, the new 94,700-seat stadium that will host the opening and final matches of the World Cup.

The stadium's first professional match drew a crowd of 76,000 -- all the seats that were made available for the game -- for the final of South Africa's FA Cup, the Nedbank Cup.

Zuma greeted players from AmaZulu of Durban and Wits University of Johannesburg, before standing on the field with his hand on his heart for the playing of the national anthem.

The clay-coloured stadium was inspired by the African calabash, and sits between Johannesburg's downtown and its most famous township of Soweto.

The national team Bafana Bafana will play its first match at Soccer City against Colombia on Thursday, ahead of the World Cup kick-off on June 11.