A peek through the old stadium at the new World Cup Stadium which has now been sealed off

FIFA Local Organising Committee takes over the stadium to make final venue preparations for the eight matches which the Cape Town stadium will host.

FIFA's exclusive use period for the stadium starts on Friday 21 May, but LOC officials are already on site.

As a result of the intensive construction and preparation work, the stadium area has been sealed off to members of the public and the media, unless by prior arrangement with the LOC.

The stadium operators, Sail/Stadefrance, will assist FIFA in running the 68 000-seat stadium during this time.

Anyone who has driven past the stadium in the last few weeks will have noticed an entire village of white marquee tents. These will host FIFA's MATCH Hospitality venues, and work is already under way to equip these with kitchens and ablution facilities, furniture, decor, and everything that goes with hosting international delegations in five star style, up to the crockery and cutlery.

Food and beverage stalls are also being prepared inside and outside the stadium.

Work is also under way to build the broadcasting centre outside the stadium, the cableway camera platform, and the media tribune, which will accommodate 800 journalists at the top level of seating on the same side of the stadium as the players' tunnel. There will be 32 fixed camera positions in the stadium, and positions on the pitch for an additional 200 still and video cameras.

Martin Pollack