The poor condition of the pitch of the 2010 FIFA World Cup venue Soccer City in Johannesburg is jeopardizing the derby between South African football giants Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates.
Soccer City, now known as FNB Stadium, has since 2011 a grass master pitch. According to Bertie Grobbelaar, the managing director of Stadium Management, the company that operates the venue, the pitch has reached the end of its lifespan.
“Over time, those fibres, made of polypropylene, have become brittle and started to break down,” he told South African media outlet IOL.
“Unfortunately, and despite their best efforts, the pitch could not be brought back to its required standard and playing level.”
The derby between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates is considered to be the 5th largest football derby in the world, bigger than the Milan derby between AC and Inter Milan or the Intercontinental Derby between Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray.
Marred by issues
It is not the first time that the South African football competitions is marred by problems with the pitch. Yet competition organiser PSL is claiming innocence by pointing out that it doesn’t own the stadiums.
Yet it is their responsibility to set standards, conduct regular inspections, and, when necessary, provide guidance on how to maintain pitches to ensure that they are safe and up to standard.
In case the pitch is to be blame for a poor result, both clubs will have an opportunity to get even when they will face each other again one week later in the final of a Cup competition. This match will be played at the Moses Mabhida stadium in Durban, another 2010 FIFA World Cup venue.