Belgium’s King Baudouin Stadium will no longer host int’l football matches starting in '17, according to Yves Taildeman of LA DERNIÈRE HEURE. This decision from UEFA is "specified in black and white" in a file concerning the new Stade National. The stadium no longer complies with UEFA rules and "has not for several years." It is considered a Category 3 stadium, while int'l matches must take place in a Category 4 stadium. Until now, the Belgian FA was granted an exemption from UEFA; but starting in May '17, the rules will be stricter and UEFA "will no longer accept excuses." While the stadium was modernized for Euro 2000, it no longer meets several safety criteria. The most important -- according to UEFA -- concerns the seating. The backs of all seats must measure 30 cm. Those in the King Baudouin Stadium only measure 17 cm. In addition, the leg room between two rows must be at least 50 cm. At King Baudouin Stadium, the leg room is only 37 cm. To accommodate the second criterion, a single row would have to be constructed where there are already two currently. In other words, the stadium capacity would be halved from 46,000 to 23,000 seats, which would be costly and insufficient for an int'l match. The Belgian FA and the City of Brussels will "no longer do massive work" to the King Baudouin Stadium. They are instead "completely focused on the construction of the new Stade National," which will cost more than $300M and should open by '19. It will be financed by a private consortium and "without a doubt leased by RSC Anderlecht and the Belgian FA." On the other hand, a complete readjustment of the King Baudouin Stadium "would be very costly." Brussels Deputy Mayor for Sports Alain Courtois said, “For this funding, we would not find a private partner. … All costs are therefore dependent on the taxpayers. We are already playing four million per year for the maintenance of the stadium. It’s getting old.” Between '17 and '19, the Devils could play their qualifying matches in club stadiums (either Pro League side Standard Liège or Club Brugge), where the capacity is 30,000 seats (LA DERNIÈRE HEURE, 11/12).
