Grass planting in Brasília is complete.

From the World Cup Portal - The installation of the turf at the Mané Garrincha National Stadium in Brasília has been completed. In three days, the 1,2m by 15m rolls were positioned in the arena that will host the opening of the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, in a match between Brazil and Japan scheduled for June 15th.

Grown on a farm in the municipality of Neópolis, in Sergipe, the grass was transported in 18 refrigerated trucks and arrived in Brasília on Saturday (April 27.04). The work began immediately and ended on Tuesday night (April 30.04).

In the coming days, the Bermuda Celebration grass will undergo an intense phase of fertilization and irrigation to establish roots and promote leaf growth. All maintenance will be carried out by specialized professionals. The ball will only roll in the new Mané Garrincha stadium during the Candangão final, the arena's test, on May 18th, the same day the stadium is officially opened. According to information from the DF government, this interval will be sufficient to guarantee the quality of the pitch.

“The entire process was carried out on a completely leveled area, with all drainage, compacted soil, and irrigation ready. Now, we will have more than 15 days between the application and the use of the grass,” explained the Extraordinary Secretary for the World Cup in the Federal District, Claudio Monteiro. 

collective work
Approximately 60 workers were involved in the entire process, from preparing the drainage system to installing the grass. The goalposts for the arena are expected to arrive in Brasília next week. Before the equipment is installed, tests will be conducted on the scoreboards, sound system, and lighting. In addition to the final match of the Brasiliense Championship on May 18th, the National Stadium will host the first game of the Brasileirão, between Santos and Flamengo, on May 26th. This match will be the official test event for the Local Organizing Committee at the Mané Garrincha Stadium.

During the 2014 World Cup, the federal capital will host seven matches, one of which will feature the Brazilian National Team.

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Photos: Francisco Medeiros/ME/Portal da Copa