HKFA 'disappointed' after 40,000-seater Hong Kong Stadium ruled out for World Cup qualifier against China
Government says pitch will not recover in time after Olympic Rugby Sevens qualifying tournament; much smaller Mong Kong Stadium chosen instead
Only 4,000 tickets will be available for the highly anticipated match between Hong Kong and China after the government finally confirmed that the preferred venue will not be available.
After months of discussion, it was revealed the 40,000-capacity Hong Kong Stadium will not be ready for the crucial World Cup qualifier slated for November 17.
"We are very disappointed that the association received notification from the Leisure and Cultural Services Department today the Hong Kong Stadium would not be available for the match," said association chairman Brian Leung Hung-tak.
The players play there week in, week out and are familiar with the environment. We are happy to hear the decision
"There is a huge demand for tickets as the fans really want to come and support the Hong Kong team for the important match. Instead the match will now be held at Mong Kok Stadium."
The decision was taken after a lengthy meeting between the two parties yesterday.
READ MORE: China soccer fans furious after thousands of Hong Kong supporters boo national anthem
The government department insisted the turf reconstruction works at the So Kon Po venue has only recently been completed, and according to expert advice, the pitch cannot be restored in time for the match following the rugby sevens Olympic qualification competition due to be held there on November 7-8.
The Mong Kok venue can hold a maximum 6,300 fans but after deducting tickets reserved for visiting fans from across the border and tickets sold previously, around 4,000 tickets will be available to the public.
"We chose the Mong Kok venue as the alternative although we could have the match at the bigger Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground with a capacity of 12,000," said Leung.
"But after consulting the Hong Kong team coach and players we decided to use the Mong Kok venue as it is preferred by them, the playing surface is better and the atmosphere will be more conducive for the home team due to the absence of a running track."
Coach Kim Pan-gon said Mong Kok Stadium was like a second home for the players.
"The players play there week in, week out and are familiar with the environment," he said. "We are happy to hear the decision."
Leung said they would announce details of ticket sales next week.
They would also be meeting with authorities about security measures for the match following the recent hostility between Hong Kong fans and their counterparts from the mainland.
The hositility stems from Hong Kong supporters booing the national anthem, March Of The Volunteers, for all three home matches in the qualifiers. The anthem has also been Hong Kong’s since the handover to China in 1997.
Edmond Fung Siu-man of fan group "The Power of Hong Kong" said the FA should take measures to stop tickets from going to mainlanders.
"There is limited number of tickets available and we are worried that many of them could go to the visiting fans," he said. "The football association should protect the rights of the home fans."
The HKFA was fined 5,000 Swiss francs (HK$39,900) on Tuesday by Fifa for failing to control fans' behaviour after a previous warning.
