Prefabricated Stadium '974 Stadium'... No Air Conditioning, Only Night Games Scheduled
Korea National Team's First Time, Brazil Experienced Once in Switzerland Match
On the 25th of last month (local time), the South Korean national football team was training at the Al Egla training ground in Doha, Qatar. Photo by Yonhap News Agency
[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] The South Korean national football team, challenging for a spot in the quarterfinals against FIFA world number one Brazil, faces another hurdle: the stadium and match time.
The Korean team, led by coach Paulo Bento, will play the round of 16 match against Brazil at the 974 Stadium in Doha, Qatar.
The 974 Stadium is a modular stadium constructed using 974 shipping containers. It was designed to reflect Qatar's international dialing code, 974, and the containers symbolize the local trade industry.
Resembling stacked toy blocks, this stadium is labeled "eco-friendly" because all infrastructure, including the containers, can be dismantled after the tournament ends.
This will be the first time the Korean team steps onto the pitch at this stadium. Previously, the team played all three group stage matches at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan. Thus, the Brazil match marks their first game at a new venue. In contrast, Brazil has already experienced this stadium once during their Group G second match against Switzerland in the group stage.
One of the most notable features of the 974 Stadium is that it is the only one among the eight tournament venues without air conditioning. Instead, the humid sea breeze from the nearby ocean provides a refreshing alternative to air conditioning. All matches assigned to this stadium are held only at night to avoid the scorching daytime sun.
The Brazil match is scheduled relatively late for this reason. While the Korean team played at 4 PM (against Uruguay and Ghana) and 6 PM (against Portugal) during the group stage, they will play their first night match at the new stadium at 10 PM local time on the 5th.
The distance from the Bento team's accommodation at Le M?ridien City Center Doha to the stadium is about 15 km, slightly longer than the 13 km to Education City Stadium.
Each team is allowed one stadium inspection before the match, but Coach Bento chose to prioritize rest for the team. Given that the round of 16 match comes just three days after the group stage ended, he judged that resting instead of conducting a separate inspection would be better. However, one coach and medical staff will visit the stadium once to check the pitch condition and logistics.
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