First National Bank (FNB) has the sole right to name the FNB soccer stadium in Soweto, the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) held on Wednesday.
In a judgement the court interdicted National Stadium South Africa, Stadium Management South Africa (SMSA) and the City of Johannesburg from naming the stadium, with boards or any other means at the entrances or inside the premises, using anything other than “FNB Stadium”.
FNB Stadium’s management launched an appeal at the SCA following a decision by the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg that “Soccer City” would go back to its old name of FNB Stadium in August this year.
SMSA was appointed by the City of Johannesburg to manage the stadium in Soweto. FNB had taken SMSA to court to prevent it from changing the name of the stadium to Soccer City, the name given to the complex during the 2010 Soccer World Cup.
The high court restrained and prohibited the management from referring to the stadium by any name other than FNB Stadium.
Earlier, FNB said that as part of preparations for the 2010 World Cup, the bank had, in compliance with Fifa requirements, agreed that the name and/or logo of the stadium be changed for a period starting three months before the World Cup opening match, and ending a week after the last match. — Sapa