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]
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.
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.
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