Nelson Mandela Bay, otherwise known as Port Elizabeth, is expected to be a hive of soccer activity when PSL giants Kaizer Chiefs and the ever-popular Bloemfontein Celtic do on-field battle in an attempt to win the inaugural Nelson Mandela Museum Charity Challenge, to be played at the Eastern Province Rugby Stadium on Sunday, 25th March 2007.

With the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro set to host 2010 World Cup action, soccer fans in the Eastern Cape are expected to come out in great numbers to fill the 30 -000 capacity stadium with all proceeds from the event to go towards the charities of the Nelson Mandela National Museum – named after SA’s first post-apartheid President, Nelson Mandela.

“Following very successful programmes of the Nelson Mandela National Museum over the past few years, we have seen that it can no longer exist in isolation, and so therefore the formation of the Friends of Nelson Mandela Museum was aimed at reaching out to people who share the same passion and vision of the legendary Madiba, in making the lives of disadvantaged people in rural South Africa better. We are very excited about the spin-offs this football event, will present and the legacy of resources that will be mobilized,” said Chief Executive Officer of the Nelson Mandela National Museum, Khwezi Mpumlwana.

There has been lack of professional football activities in the province since the relegation of East London -based PSL club Bush Bucks at the end of last season, and Gogo Manqoyi, 2010 Strategic Manager in the Eastern Cape says “by participating in this event we want to reposition the Eastern Cape as a top class soccer/sport destination and a province of choice. We want to test the viability of Nelson Mandela Metro facilities and human resources from a 2010 World Cup perspective and to provide a reference point to lobby international teams to choose the province as a base and to rejuvenate soccer interest in the Province.”

Bobby Motaung, Team Manager at Kaizer Chiefs, said, “To us this game will present two opportunities, first an opportunity to re-affirm our brand to our loyal supporters in the Eastern Cape, who are always there for us, so we need to say ‘thank you’ to them by lifting this trophy. Our culture is that of searching for glory opportunities, through winning silver ware. Secondly, any event associated with Madiba is of rare prestige at Kaizer Chiefs and we’ll stop at nothing to make sure we honour his good name with good football. We urge our supporters to come in big numbers in support of the team and the charities we are raising funds for”.

Chiefs and Celtic are known for pulling passionate fans every time they meet but lately Celtic has been pulling quality fans which might paint the friendly city green and white.

“Bloemfontein Celtic is honoured to have been invited to compete in the inaugural Nelson Mandela Museum Charity Challenge and we would like to use this game to showcase our style of football and to increase our growing support-base in the host city,” said Bloemfontein Celtic CEO Ikie Augousti.

“We wish to do well in this cup and hopefully win it, playing quality football so as to maintain our credibility and to try and make this into an annual fixture that we will always be part of.”

Match tickets are on sale at R30 (grandstand), R25 (open stand) and R10 (children under the age of 12 years) at the municipality offices of the Nelson Mandela Bay and Buffalo City Municipalities, the Eastern Province Rugby stadium offices and at the Bloemfontein Celtic offices.