Work on the Soccer City World Cup stadium is on track to deliver the most technologically advanced arena in the world, a Johannesburg official said Friday, despite unfinished roads and widespread building work in the area.
Sibongile Mazibuko, executive director of the city's World Cup department, told The Associated Press the developers are “very much on track” and that major construction had been completed.
“All the roads around Soccer City are done. The only parts are the intersections left for the fiber cabling,” Mazibuko said.
“In terms of technology, the stadium is the most technologically advanced stadium, and to quote Jerome Valcke (FIFA general secretary), this is the best stadium he has ever seen in the world.”
However, ongoing work around the stadium suggests there is much still to do. Johannesburg has just over a month to make good its promise to hand over the 94,000-seater venue to FIFA.
The stadium will host the opening ceremony and the tournament’s first game on June 11. It will also stage the July 11 final.
Mazibuko said FIFA was already involved in stadium preparations at Soccer City, earlier than planned.
“We have to hand contractually to FIFA on the 30th of April,” Mazibuko told the AP. “But we have allowed FIFA to start working within the stadium because it is in our interests that they start earlier. There is a lot of work that is already being done by FIFA within Soccer City with the temporary structures... the two should
not be confused with the work that is being done for preparation or construction. Construction has been done and FIFA is now on site.”
The city invited municipal workers to play football at Soccer City on Friday to mark the end of a 10-day countrywide stadium inspection tour. They were the first football games on the new pitch.
But while the teams played, and spectators cheered and sang in the stands, construction workers were still hard at work outside.
Local Organizing Committee chief executive Danny Jordaan said in a statement Friday: “What we are looking at now is just the finer detail.” However, Soccer City has little infrastructure ready around the stadium and the World Cup kickoff is fast approaching.
FIFA have moved in. “It's before their time but we have allowed them (FIFA) to move in and start working because we understand in particular with this venue the amount of work they need to do to get ready for the World Cup,” Mr. Mazibuko said.
Inside the stadium, work has been completed and the arena is impressive. The seats are light brown, the color of an African clay pot, and it will be full for the opening game between South Africa and Mexico, according to Mazibuko.
“Anyone who actually closed his eyes the day before we demolished what was formerly known as the FNB Stadium and opened their eyes today will think they are in another country.” Mr. Mazibuko said.
“But at the same time they will recognize that they are in Africa. The design is an African design... It is our view that this stadium is the best design ever seen.”
