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.[1]

For the baseball stadium, see Rakuten Seimei Park Miyagi.
Miyagi Stadium
Full nameQ&A Stadium Miyagi
Former namesMiyagi Stadium (2000–2014)
Hitomebore Stadium Miyagi (2014–2020)
LocationRifu, Miyagi, Japan
OwnerMiyagi Prefecture
Capacity49,133
SurfaceGrass
Construction
Broke ground1996
OpenedMarch 2000
Tenants
Sony Sendai FC
Japan National Football Team

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.[2]

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.

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
Date Team 1 Res. Team 2 Round
9 June 2002 Mexico2–1 EcuadorGroup G
12 June 2002 Sweden1–1 ArgentinaGroup F
18 June 2002 Japan0–1 TurkeyRound of 16

2012 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup matches
Date Team 1 Res. Team 2 Round
19 August 2012 New Zealand2–1 SwitzerlandGroup A
Japan4–1 Mexico
22 August 2012 Mexico2–0 Switzerland
Japan2–2 New Zealand
27 August 2012 Germany3–0 United StatesGroup D
Norway4–1 ArgentinaGroup C

Other notable events

Besides the game against Turkey, Miyagi Stadium has hosted three friendly matches involving the Japanese national football 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. 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.

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

References
  1. 宮城スタジアム、新愛称は「キューアンドエースタジアムみやぎ」
  2. "Venue Plan". Tokyo 2020 Bid Committee. Archived from the original on 27 July 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2013.


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