Miyagi Stadium
Where Tohoku's football passion meets World Cup history.
via Wikipedia: Miyagi Stadium · see source
Miyagi Stadium, officially known as the Q&A Stadium 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. Its 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 present-day Miyagi Prefecture. The 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 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.
Quick Facts
- Location
- Rifu, Miyagi, Japan
- Groundbreaking
- 1996
- Opened
- March 2000
- Owner
- Miyagi Prefecture
- Surface
- Grass
- Full name
- Q&A Stadium Miyagi
- Former names
- Miyagi Stadium (2000–2014); Hitomebore Stadium Miyagi (2014–2020)
- Capacity
- 49,133
Lore & Background
Miyagi Stadium was built as a multi-purpose venue in Rifu, Miyagi Prefecture. Its crescent-shaped roof is meant to evoke images of Date Masamune, a daimyō of Mutsu Province. The stadium first gained international attention by hosting three matches in the 2002 FIFA World Cup. It also hosted the 56th National Sports Festival of Japan in 2001. From 1 April 2014, the stadium was known as the Hitomebore Stadium 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. It hosted six matches at the 2012 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, becoming 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 stadium also 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, a 2–4 loss against Uruguay on 14 August 2013, and 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. Nogizaka46 held two days concert at the venue in 2018 for their Summer Tour.
Reader's Guide
Miyagi Stadium's fan culture is deeply rooted in the Tohoku region's resilience and community spirit. Japanese supporters are known for their organized, respectful displays—unfurling massive banners, singing coordinated chants, and cleaning up after matches. The 'Vegalta Sendai' fan base, known as the 'Ultra Obrigado,' brings a unique blend of Brazilian-inspired samba rhythms and local folk songs, reflecting the club's early ties to Brazilian football. Over decades, the culture has evolved from polite applause to passionate, choreographed support, yet always retains a sense of mutual respect between rival fans—a hallmark of Japanese football.
More in Stadiums & Fan Culture
Elsewhere in Japan National Team
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced