THE unavailability of suitable stadiums could see this weekend's big last-16 match between Kaizer Chiefs and First Division side FC Cape Town being moved to the Boland Stadium in Wellington or even elsewhere in the country.
Ajax Cape Town were also drawn at home against Free State Stars, which makes the situation even worse.
Club owner and chairman Errol Dicks said yesterday Newlands and the Athlone Stadium are not available for the match. The club is in talks to get Boland Stadium for the match, but the Boland rugby team are playing the Leopards in the quarter-final of the Vodacom Cup on Saturday.
It will also be problematic to play Chiefs at the venue on the Sunday. No vuvuzelas are allowed inside the stadium on a Sunday, because of the old-age home just around the corner from the stadium.
"We have discussed Newlands at length, but unfortunately it's not available for the match," Dicks told the Cape Times yesterday. "The field apparently needs to be spared and we can't use it.
"So we will possibly have to go to Wellington. But that is if we can get it, because Ajax have also drawn a home game and they have to get a venue for their match as well," Dicks said.
According to stadium manager Jack Abrahams, the Boland Stadium can accommodate 7 000 supporters for the match. This will be a massive blow to the coffers of FC Cape Town, who can cash in by attracting the huge Chiefs following to the match.
Nonetheless, Dicks says the club is eager to play the biggest football team in the country and are looking forward to the occasion.
"We are extremely excited! I think it's a wonderful opportunity for our youth at FC Cape Town to play a team of the stature of Kaizer Chiefs. I think that excitement alone is a highlight for our club," Dicks said.
"It is important to make money, but our boys and the club just want to make the Western Cape proud. We want to give a good account of ourselves. If the financial benefits come, we will open our arms to that. But our fundamental goal is to do the best we can against Chiefs," Dicks said.
FC Cape Town, who beat Ikapa Sporting 2-1 in the previous round, have already shown they can mix it with the best when they took Mamelodi Sundowns to extra time in a Nedbank Cup quarter-final match two seasons ago. Sundowns went on to win the competition that season.
"No team on earth go on to the field to lose a game," Dicks said. "We respect Chiefs, because they are a massive name in South African football. But football is a game where 11 players take on 11 other players, and I can promise you the boys will compete.
"We are going to take the game to Chiefs and not sit back and be intimidated by them. Two years ago, we played Sundowns in the quarter-final and we took them to extra time.
"We are also the unknown quantity. We just want to make sure that when Chiefs walk off the field, they must say we were in a game today," Dicks added.
Meanwhile, Ajax Cape Town coach Foppe de Haan is happy to be playing familiar opposition in the form of the Free State outfit in the last 16.
"It's sometimes difficult to play the sides from the lower division, because you don't often see them in action," De Haan said. "We have played Stars while I have been here, so I know them."
NEDBANK CUP LAST 16 FIXTURES
(Venues and dates to be announced): Winners Park v MP Black Aces, Moroka Swallows v AmaZulu, Ajax Cape Town v Free State Stars, Mamelodi Sundowns v Black Leopards, Bidvest Wits v Thanda Royal Zulu, Jomo Cosmos v Pretoria University, Orlando Pirates v ALS Puk Tawana, FC Cape Town v Kaizer Chiefs.