An unexploded bomb from World War II was discovered near the home base of Bundesliga soccer club Mainz 05 and is scheduled to be dismantled on Friday.
A statement from the city of Mainz said the American-made bomb, weighing 500 kilograms (1,102 pounds), was discovered Wednesday during construction work before the local area was evacuated.
Mainz 05's MEWA Arena is located just outside the 750-meter (approximately 2,460-foot) evacuation radius, but the club moved its Friday press conference to Thursday after the revelations.
The club shop inside the stadium will also be closed on Friday while the bomb defuse operation takes place, the newspaper said. team.
The club will host FC Köln on Sunday as both teams fight to avoid relegation this season. Mainz 05 told CNN Sports that the match would not be affected by the discovery.
The team currently sits 15th in the league, just outside the relegation zone on goal difference. FC Köln are in 17th place, five points behind Mainz.
It is unclear how long it will take to defuse and dispose of the bomb, but the city estimates that about 3,500 people were affected by the evacuation. Bomb defusal operations began at noon local time.
Because the presence of unexploded ordnance from World War II is common in Germany, companies often hire private bomb disposal teams to ensure site safety during construction projects.
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