Hong Kong Stadium closure rules out visits by Liverpool and Arsenal
Hong Kong Football Association not impressed by LCSD decision to renovate maligned pitch next summer
The Hong Kong Football Association has questioned the timing of renovations to Hong Kong Stadium next year which will deprive the city of visits by Premier League giants Liverpool and Arsenal.
HKFA chief executive Mark Sutcliffe said the 40,000-seat venue in So Kon Po would be closed from April for six months for repair to its turf .
We acknowledge the need to replace the pitch at the Hong Kong Stadium but the timing is far from ideal from a football perspective
“The biggest problem is we are aware of a number of big European teams that want to visit Hong Kong during this period, including Arsenal and Liverpool,” said Sutcliffe.
“It will be a key time for European clubs to visit Hong Kong because there is no World Cup or European Championship. We are concerned about a loss of 8momentum as we try to build up local interest in football and also a loss of much-needed revenue for the HKFA.
“We acknowledge the need to replace the pitch at the Hong Kong Stadium but the timing is far from ideal from a football perspective,” he said.
It is understood the HKFA had written to the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, which manages the facility, saying Liverpool and Arsenal were planning to visit next summer, but it fell on deaf ears.