Football pitch unrecognisable after it is destroyed by RATS as World Cup tie faces being moved due to rodent infestation

A WORLD CUP tie faces being moved – after RATS overran the stadium due to host it.

Switzerland are set to face Sweden in a qualifier at the Stade de Geneve on November 15.

But the ground, home to Swiss Super League club Servette, has become infested with vermin, as revealed by the Tribune de Geneve.

The creatures have dug hundreds of holes in the pitch, chewed through electrical cables and damaged advertising boards.

Swiss FA pitches consultant Pierre-Yves Bovigny said: “I’ve done this job for over 20 years, and I’ve never seen a pitch attacked by rats in Switzerland.

“It’s a worrying situation for the FA as regards the quality of the playing surface. I hope the measures being taken against the rats will work.

“This may not prevent the Switzerland v Sweden game taking place – but we are monitoring the situation closely.”

Media pictures show the Geneva stadium’s pitch riddled with more holes than a Swiss cheese.

Maintenance firm Realsport look after the turf at the 30,000-capacity arena.

Director Adrien Vabre said: “We find holes dug by the rats every morning. It takes us two hours to fill them in and re-seed the pitch on top of our normal work.

“I see rats in the stadium every day. As well as the damage they do, it is far from pleasant.

“There are traps set up all around the pitch, and in our storerooms. We need to protect our supplies.”

Imad Fattal, the president of the stadium’s foundation, said they had hired a pest control firm to tackle the problem.

He said: “We’re taking this very seriously, and taking every step to prevent the rats spreading in the stadium.

“We’ve asked Servette FC and the company that runs their catering outlets to clean up straight after games and not leave food lying about.

“We are just the landlords, and we need Servette as our tenants to do their bit – as damage is being done.”

Manchester United experienced problems with mice late last year, and a rat was seen to run onto the Old Trafford pitch during a game in January.

Meanwhile Spanish club Elche banned their fans from eating their favourite sunflower seeds snack in May after they caused rats to invade their stadium.