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Posted By: Marty FFB Getting Ready For Champion's League - 05/30/14 10:06 AM
Since March, the Football Federation of Belize has been doing an extensive renovation of their football field in Belmopan. This upgrade is budgeted at 1.8 million dollars, and it will see the only stadium that was FIFA certified to reach standards seen in other Central American Countries which focus very strongly on the sport.

The most exciting thing for the FFB is that Belize will be able to take part in the Champion's League:

Ruperto Vicente, President - FFB
"The work here began in the month of March with the electrical part of it doing the lights, doing the bleachers as well as the locker rooms and the field itself and so we are way ahead. We are a little behind of course with the pitch but we will catch up this week because the people who are working on the pitch are committed to complete all of this work this week. If you notice behind here the trucks are running the dirt and once it's leveled and rolled then the pipes are going to be laid for the drainage as well as the irrigation. And so that is going to be done this weekend."

"Come around the 8th June that's when we are going to get the grass from Mexico and that's going to be laid on the pitch. That is coming in the form of a carpet with dirt on it and once that is laid its watered for a week and once it's watered then you are ready to play on it."

"For champion's league, once the pitch is complete we are going to be able to play champions league and certainly we are pushing to play champions league this year in the month of August. The light is very important, because we must have 800-1200 lux. Our lighting system has to produce that many lux. Once that is produce and we are going to test that out tonight and look at how much lux we are going to get out of this light. We are shooting for 1200, we cannot have less than 1200 lux because that's what the contract states that our lights must be able to produce 1200 lux, minimum 800."

Daniel Ortiz
"With the completion of this field and of the lighting gets that intensity that you are looking for, this will be a field that will be able to compete with those from other Central American countries right?"

Ruperto Vicente, President - FFB
"Certainly, we are going to be in par with other Central American countries and even Mexico because once we have the lighting system, once we have the pitch in order then we will be able to play any international match here at the FFB Stadium."

The upgrade of the entire compound is expected to be completed by June 15. The football pitch is expected to be ready for football games 4 days later.

Channel 7

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