Saitama Stadium 2002, Football stadium in Midori-ku, Japan
Saitama Stadium 2002 is a football stadium in Midori-ku, Saitama, with more than sixty thousand seats. Alongside the main arena there are three training pitches and two smaller courts for indoor football in the surrounding sports park.
Construction began in 1998 after Japan was awarded co-hosting rights for the 2002 football World Cup. The opening took place in September 2001, in time for the major tournament the following summer.
The Urawa Red Diamonds play their home matches here in front of crowds of several tens of thousands. The Japan national team also uses the venue for important matches and qualifying games.
You can reach the grounds via Urawa Misono Station, from which shuttle buses run on match days several hours before kickoff. The stadium sits within a large park with walkways and green spaces around the stands.
In the summer of 2002 the semifinal between Brazil and Turkey took place here, which the Brazilians won with a single goal. Today information boards inside the stadium recall that evening and the other World Cup matches held here.
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