Wando-gun, Key Points to Watch in Soccer at the Jeonnam Sports Festival

Rules of Soccer Game for Storming Across the Ground

The 62nd Jeollanam-do Sports Festival, a sports event promoting unity among 2 million Jeollanam-do residents, will take place in Wando for four days from May 12 to 15.

The organizing committee of the 62nd Jeollanam-do Sports Festival is introducing the rules and viewing points of each sport every week to help residents and spectators enjoy the games more.

The 62nd Jeonnam Sports Festival soccer preliminary and semifinal matches will be held at Wando Soccer Stadium.
[Photo by Wando-gun]

The sport being introduced this time is the globally popular sport, soccer. Soccer is played by two teams of 11 players each, with two halves of 45 minutes each, totaling 90 minutes. Players primarily use their feet to score goals by putting the ball into the opponent’s net without using their hands or arms.

The soccer matches of the 62nd Jeollanam-do Sports Festival will be held over three days from May 13 to 15. The preliminary and semifinal matches will take place at the Soccer Stadium, Haesin Soccer Field, and Gogeum Life Sports Park, while the final will be held at Wando Public Stadium.

Teams may participate with up to 20 players excluding the coach and manager. Eligibility requires players to be from Jeollanam-do and registered as players for the year 2023. Executives and players from business teams, military teams, school teams from other cities or provinces, and high school players are not allowed to participate.

Additionally, professional players may participate only if they are not registered with the Korea Football Association for the current year.

The Jeonnam Sports Festival matches consist of two halves of 30 minutes each, totaling 60 minutes, with a 10-minute halftime break, and are conducted in a knockout tournament format.

In the event of a draw, the winner is decided by penalty shootouts from the preliminary rounds through to the final.

In last year’s 61st tournament, the rankings were 1st place Suncheon, 2nd place Gangjin, and 3rd place Mokpo and Jindo. In the 58th tournament held in 2019, the top ranks were 1st place Sinan, 2nd place Yeosu, and 3rd place Mokpo and Jangseong. The 59th and 60th tournaments (2020?2021) were canceled due to COVID-19.

In the 62nd tournament in 2023, the fierce competition for the championship among traditional powerhouses Suncheon, Mokpo, and Sinan, as well as the challenge for top positions by mid-tier teams such as Wando, Gangjin, and Haenam, will be key viewing points.

The host city, Wando County, has shown strong performances every year despite a thin player pool. Although they narrowly lost in the quarterfinals and placed 5th in the 58th tournament in 2019, they are expected to leverage the home advantage to climb into the top ranks.

Meanwhile, the county is planning various tourism-linked programs targeting athletes and spectators to promote tourist attractions and attract visitors. They are making every effort to prepare for the festival to elevate the county’s prestige through sports.

Wando = Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Choi Kyung-pil ckp6737@asiae.co.kr