Following the downgrading of Toyota Stadium last year, the venue also lost its FIFA international soccer accreditation. Since then, significant progress has been made in restoring the stadium to the required standards.
Having regained their Tier Two rugby status earlier this year, the Free State Cheetahs (Pty) Ltd are now actively pursuing the restoration of our international soccer status, with a view to securing FIFA accreditation once again.
Toyota Stadium will be hosting two international soccer fixtures this week under temporary FIFA accreditation. The successful delivery of these matches could potentially enable the venu to regain our permanent accreditation in the future and welcome international teams, including Bafana Bafana, back to the stadium.
Due to recent weather conditions, the pitch remains soft underfoot. To protect the playing surface and safeguard our FIFA accreditation, the upcoming match against Eastern Province Rugby will be played at Shimla Park.
Change in kick-off time:
Kick-off has been moved from 15:00 to 13:00 due to the weather forecast, as the risk of lightning may increase later in the day. This adjustment reduces the likelihood of disruption and increases the chances of completing the match as scheduled.
This fixture is important in the Toyota Cheetahs’ pursuit of a semi-final place, with the SA Cup also serving as a qualifier for the Currie Cup. It is therefore essential that the match proceeds without interruption.