Manahan Stadium in Surakarta, Central Java, which has been proposed as a venue for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in May and June this year, will undergo a revamp ahead of the competition.

The stadium’s renovation will be undertaken by the Public Works and Public Housing Ministry, Surakarta Mayor Gibran Rakabuming Raka informed adding, work on the stadium will start on January 20 and is expected to take at least 2–3 months.

“We have received the notification from the Public Works and Public Housing Ministry regarding the Manahan Stadium revamp plan. The work will start on January 20 (and be undertaken) directly by the ministry,” Raka said here on Thursday.

The funds for the renovation will be disbursed from the ministry’s allocation in the 2023 State Budget, he informed.

During the revamp process, the stadium will be closed to the public, he said, adding that he has also informed the management of the city’s football club, Persis Solo, that the stadium will not be available for the second leg of the 2022–2023 League 1 until the end of the season.

The mayor said he has also asked Persis Solo director Kevin Nugroho to seek another stadium as a temporary home while the Manahan Stadium is renovated.

He further informed that he has advised the football club to use Maguwoharjo Stadium in Sleman temporarily.

Meanwhile, he has also suggested Sriwedari Stadium as an option to Nahdlatul Ulama, who will not be able to use Manahan Stadium for the opening ceremony of the Nahdlatul Ulama Sports and Art Festival (Porseni NU) to commemorate the Muslim organization’s centenary.

He affirmed that the stadium’s renovation will proceed even though the municipal authority is waiting for a decision from FIFA and the Youth and Sports Ministry on whether it will serve as a venue for the U-20 World Cup.

Source: Antara News