Dataset of the Day: Stadiums for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Will They Be Built?

Recently in the news there have been stories of worker strikes in South Africa that are affecting the construction of stadiums that are to be used in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The workers are demanding pay raises and are halting their efforts in constructing stadiums until their demands are met. Organizers of the 2010 FIFA World Cup are confident that the issue will soon be resolved. I decided to look into this further and see just how much work is being done to make the 2010 World Cup happen as planned.
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Above is a map of all the stadium sites for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. (Use the interactive map to zoom in/out and explore information about each stadium by clicking on the different flags). So how much construction is needed for all of the stadiums to be completed and ready for the World Cup? Below is a map that shows which stadiums are being newly built, having major upgrades, having medium upgrades, and having minor upgrades. (click on the map for a larger view)

Stadium Construction Type, 2010 FIFA World Cup, South Africa

From the map above you can see that 5 of the 10 stadiums that are being used in the 2010 World Cup are going to be brand new stadiums. One will go through major upgrading, two through medium upgrading, and two through minor updating. All and all, there is a lot of construction that needs to be done before the start of the cup. Another issue is the size of the stadiums. The map below shows the gross capacity that each stadium will have during the 2010 World Cup.

Stadium Gross Capacities, FIFA World Cup 2010, South Africa

These are all fairly large stadiums that will require a great amount of work to be completed. Will the work be done? Let’s hope so, because if it is not, it may dampen the atmosphere of the world’s greatest soccer tournament in 2010.