The rain-storms we had over the last weeks left the new stadium's pitch water-logged. After a FIFA inspection the Mbombela Stadium pitch has to be resurfaced and a suitable drainage implemented.
World Cup organizers in Nelspruit said the new pitch will be ready for match competition by the end of February - and there was no cause for concern about the ground's ability to host its four World Cup matches in June when there is traditionally hardly any rain in the area.
Plans for the proposed opening of the stadium on March 3 with a friendly international between Ghana and Bosnia-Herzegovina are going ahead as planned.
World Cup fixtures due to be staged at Nelspruit's Mbombela Stadium are those between Honduras and Chile (June 16), Italy and New Zealand (June 20), Australia and Serbia (June 23) and North Korea and Ivory Coast (June 25).
Only about 60 kms from the stadium Dreamfields Guesthouse still has got availablility for some dates.
