Saitama Stadium

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Lore & Background

Saitama Stadium was built to host matches of the 2002 FIFA World Cup, with construction completed in September 2001. During that tournament, it hosted four matches, including co-host Japan's first match against Belgium. The stadium quickly became the home ground for the Japan national team in almost every FIFA World Cup qualifying match. Between 2005 and 2007, Urawa Red Diamonds' local derby rival Omiya Ardija also hosted matches here alongside Urawa Komaba due to expansion of its home stadium. The stadium even appeared in the remastered version of the anime Captain Tsubasa, where it was mostly shown as the main stadium for the middle school tournament. Its role as a national team fortress was cemented through years of crucial qualifiers, with the 63,700-seat bowl creating an intimidating atmosphere for visiting sides.

In Their Own Story

On October 15, 2024, the stadium made international headlines for a different reason. Australia's national team, staying at the five-star Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo in downtown Bunkyō, Tokyo, took 2 hours 9 minutes (16:37-18:46) in their chartered coach to arrive at the stadium for a 19:35 kick-off in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Ordinary driving time from Tokyo Station is estimated to be 40 minutes, according to the stadium. The road congestion that night caught international attention, highlighting a long-standing transport issue known to the prefectural government, academics, and the home team for years. The stadium is a 20-minute walk from the nearest station, Urawa-Misono, and from Tokyo station, it is 45 minutes by train plus 1.2 km walking on foot, or 40 minutes drive.

Reader's Guide

Getting to Saitama Stadium requires planning. From Tokyo station, allow 45 minutes by train plus a 1.2 km walk on foot, or 40 minutes by car. The nearest station is Urawa-Misono, a 20-minute walk away. A 2017 survey found that on an international matchday with typically 60,000 attendance, 60.5% (36,000) arrived by railway, 25.2% (15,000) drove cars, 8.7% (5,200) took intra-prefecture shuttle buses, and 5.6% (3,300) arrived by bicycle, motorbikes, or on foot. For J. League club matches with typically 40,000 attendance, railway usage dropped sharply to 40.6% while all other modes increased. The stadium's structural design includes a building area of 54,420 m2, total floor area of 62,674 m2, covered area of 29,000 m2, and a stand inclination of maximum 30 degrees. Currently, J1 League club Urawa Red Diamonds use this stadium for home games.

Did You Know?

• The stadium is nicknamed 'Saisuta' (埼スタ) in Japanese.
• It was built by the architecture firm Azusa Sekkei.
• The stadium hosted four matches during the 2002 FIFA World Cup, including Japan's first match against Belgium.
• On an international matchday with 60,000 attendance, 60.5% of fans arrive by railway.
• The stadium appeared in the remastered version of the anime Captain Tsubasa as the main stadium for the middle school tournament.