RIO DE JANEIRO, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- Rio de Janeiro's Maracana stadium will be closed for almost three months as its troubled playing surface is replaced with hybrid turf technology.

The iconic venue will be out of use from December 10 - the day after the current Brazilian Serie A season ends - until late February or early March, according to stadium operator Complexo Maracana.

The much-maligned pitch will be dug up and relaid with a combination of natural grass and artificial fibres.

"We are going to remove between 10cm and 15cm of soil. Afterwards, we will enter the sand, trim, and plant the grass. Then, add water, fertilizer and wait for it to grow," Complexo Maracana CEO Severiano Braga said.

According to Braga, the new technology will allow the entire playing surface to maintain standards that are commonplace in Europe. One of the problems that has beset the Maracana since its 2011-2013 redevelopment has been a lack of sunlight on certain sections of the turf during Rio's winter months.

The quality of Brazil's football pitches has been heavily criticized in recent years, particularly during the 2019 and 2021 Copa America tournaments.

In October, Rio de Janeiro's state government launched a competitive bidding process for a new 20-year concession to operate the 79,000-seat venue, which is currently co-managed by local clubs Flamengo and Fluminense.

The Maracana and Mexico's Azteca are the only two stadiums to have hosted two FIFA World Cup finals. The Maracana staged the event in 1950 and 2014 and the Azteca in 1970 and 1986.