Plenty of glitz and glamour has been added to the reopening of Rustenburg's Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace, as the stadium hosts the annual Nelson Mandela Challenge match between Bafana Bafana and Norway on Saturday 28 March 2009.

Bafana Bafana will have fond memories of their last visit to FIFA Confederations Cup 2009 host city Rustenburg, which saw them register a 3-2 win over the highly-ranked Cameroon in last year's Nelson Mandela Challenge fixture.

The hosts have recently climbed to 74th in the FIFA rankings and 17th in the African rankings and will face a Norwegian team ranked 59th in the world.

The fixture marks the reopening of the Royal Bafokeng Stadium, which has undergone some minor upgrades - including the extension of the West Stand - ahead of the FIFA Confederations Cup 2009, taking place from 14 June to 28 June 2009, and next year's 2010 FIFA World Cup™.

The South African Football Association (SAFA) Chief Executive Officer, Raymond Hack sees the Nelson Mandela Challenge as more than just a football game.

"The Nelson Mandela Challenge has become a much anticipated football spectacular, both locally and internationally. The hosting of the Peace Conference before the match adds a special ingredient in bringing hope to the troubled parts of our world. We look forward to witnessing 90 minutes of action-packed football which will yet again showcase our country's passion for the beautiful game," said Hack.

The 2009 edition of the Nelson Mandela Challenge is the third year that Royal Bafokeng Holdings has sponsored the event. Royal Bafokeng Holdings Chief Executive Officer, Niall Carroll, believes the match marks an important milestone on the road to 2010.

"Following Bafana Bafana's success over Cameroon late last year in Rustenburg, we are delighted to celebrate the reopening of the Royal Bafokeng Stadium with this match. The reopening of the stadium marks an important milestone in our preparations for the FIFA Confederations Cup and 2010 FIFA World Cup, both as a community and as a country. We call on the people of South Africa to join us for a day of family fun and entertainment," said Carroll.