“Worrying” problem before the World Cup qualification game
Football stadium in Switzerland has a plague of rat
30.09.2025 – 2:32 p.m.Reading time: 2 min.
The national team of Switzerland plays in Geneva in just more than a month. However, the stadium there has a problem with rodents.
In November, Switzerland will play the World Cup qualification game against Sweden in the Stade de Genève in Geneva. However, there is a problem in the venue a good month before the game: a plague of rat.
As reported “today.at”, the animals would eat up the lawn and therefore turn into a field. Several hundred rats apparently damage the field – but not only that. According to the newspaper, cables are also eaten, and the rodents are apparently settled there.
Stadium boss Imad Fattal told the newspaper “Tribune de Geneve”: “We take it very seriously. We have commissioned a rat control company and take any measures to contain the rat plague.”
The “Realsport” company is currently responsible for maintaining the stadium. The company’s director, Adrien Vabre, told the newspaper: “We suffer from this situation. Every morning we discover new holes that dug the rats at night.” Stuffing the holes takes around two hours every day. In addition, new lawn must be sown. And that “before we start the work that normally deal with us,” said Vabre.
The problem goes so far that the Swiss Association’s lawn expert also worries. So Pierre-Yves said Bovigny: “In Switzerland I have never seen a lawn infested with rats. Of course, the situation is worrying.” However, he was optimistic that it could be solved again until Switzerland’s international match.
According to “Tribune de Geneve”, boxes have been set up around the field to capture the animals. Likewise outdoors. The supervisors of the stadium also serve steel wool in the electrical lines as aid, which are intended to hold rats.