Miyagi Stadium

Miyagi Stadium (宮城スタジアム, Miyagi Sutajiamu), also known as the Q&A Stadium Miyagi (キューアンドエースタジアムみやぎ, Kyūandoēsutajiamu Miyagi) for sponsorship reasons, is an athletic and football stadium in the town of Rifu in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. The stadium's capacity is 49,133. The crescent-shaped roof extending past the edge of the stadium is meant to evoke images of Date Masamune, a daimyō of Mutsu Province, which included the present-day Miyagi Prefecture. From 1 April 2014, the stadium was known as the Hitomebore Stadium Miyagi (ひとめぼれスタジアム宮城, Hitomebore Sutajiamu Miyagi), named after the main variety of rice produced in the prefecture, as the naming rights were acquired by the Miyagi Prefecture headquarters of Zen-Noh. The stadium adopted its current name on 1 April 2020 due to a sponsorship agreement with the Q&A Corporation.

Miyagi Stadium hosted three matches in the 2002 World Cup, and also hosted the 56th National Sports Festival of Japan in 2001. It is one of the planned football venues for the 2020 Summer Olympics.

In addition, Miyagi Stadium also hosted six matches at the 2012 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup and it would become the first stadium (and to date the only stadium) to have hosted matches at both a men's FIFA World Cup and a women's FIFA U-20 World Cup.

Vegalta, Mynavi and Sony Sendai only use here occasionally.

The football field is surrounded by a nine-lane track. A large video screen and scoreboard is installed in the northern end.

2002 FIFA World Cup matches

2012 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup matches

Football at the 2020 Summer Olympics

Women's

Men's

Other notable events

Besides the game against Turkey, Miyagi Stadium has hosted three friendly matches involving the Japan national team: A 1–1 draw against Slovakia on 11 June 2000, a 5–4 victory against Honduras on 7 September 2005, and a 2–4 loss against Uruguay on 14 August 2013, a 2–0 victory against El Salvador on 9 June 2019. J. League club Vegalta Sendai has held home games at Miyagi Stadium, and pop-music group SMAP has held two outdoor concerts at the venue as well. Also Nogizaka46 has held two days concert at the venue in 2018 for their Summer Tour.

Access

Rifu Station is the closest train station, although it is nearly 3.5 kilometers from the stadium. For major events, bus transportation is usually available from Izumi-Chūō and Sendai Stations. Before the World Cup, a spur from the Sanriku Expressway was built, which provided easier access for travellers by car from Tokyo and other locales.

See also

• Yurtec Stadium Sendai
• Sekisui Heim Super Arena
• List of stadiums in Japan
• 2002 FIFA World Cup shock defeat (Japan, Argentina)
• Luis Suárez ＆ Diego Forlán (Match against Japan in 2013)

References

External links

• Stadium information (in Japanese)

1. Rakuten Mobile Park Miyagi
2. Miyagi Prefecture
3. Yurtec Stadium Sendai
4. Football at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament
5. Olympiastadion (Berlin)
6. 2002 FIFA World Cup
7. Football at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament
8. Maracanã Stadium
9. List of stadiums by capacity
10. Luzhniki Stadium
11. Levi's Stadium
12. Vegalta Sendai
13. Camp Nou
14. Snapdragon Stadium
15. BMO Stadium
16. Wembley Stadium
17. SoFi Stadium
18. Old Trafford
19. 2012 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup
20. Stadium Australia