A team of about 100 obsessive soccer fans was hard at work on Friday at an organized high-tech operations center in Miami-Dade County.
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During the tournament, none of them will be referring to the stadium at 347 Don Shula Drive in Miami Gardens as the Hard Rock Stadium. It will be the Miami Stadium.
Heimo Schirgi, FIFA’s chief event operations officer, was leading his team to monitor everything from security to weather, flights, and tickets.
“This is where all of the information from all of the over 500 official sites that we have throughout the three countries comes together, and where we can do some centralized and informed decision making,” Schirgi said.
The FIFA World Cup, held every four years since 1930, runs from June 11 to July 19. There are 104 matches scheduled at 16 host cities, including Miami.
It is the first time the U.S., Canada, and Mexico will host a FIFA World Cup, and the first time the tournament features 48 teams.
“The whole world is already here, and we are super excited,” said Schirgi, who was born in Austria and grew up in Turkey and South Africa.
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The 12 groups of four teams each will play the first 72 matches, including four games from three groups at the Miami Stadium.
“Some of the biggest matches we have in terms of demand and interest are right here in Miami,” Schirgi said.
Uruguay plays against Saudi Arabia at 6 p.m. on June 15 and against Cape Verde at 6 p.m. on June 21. Brazil plays against Scotland at 6 p.m. on June 24. Colombia plays against Portugal at 7:30 p.m. on June 27.
During the tournament’s knockout stage, there will be 32 matches, including three key games at the Miami Stadium.
The winner of Group J will play against the runner-up of Group H at 6 p.m. on July 3. The quarter-final match is at 5 p.m. on July 11, and the bronze final match is at 5 p.m. on July 18.
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Track FIFA World Cup groups
- Group A
- Group B
- Group C
- Group D
- Group E
- Group F
- Group G
- Group H
- Group I
- Group J
- Group K
- Group L
