Kumagaya Rugby Ground Explained

Stadium Name:Kumagaya Rugby Stadium
Location:Kumagaya, Saitama, Japan
Coordinates:36.1683°N 139.4024°W
Opened:1991
Expanded:2018
Owner:Saitama Prefecture
Operator:Saitama Prefecture
Surface:Grass
Construction Cost:12.4 billion (Expansion in 2018[1])
Architect:Shimizu Corporation
MHS Planners, Architects & Engineers Ltd. (Expansion)
Tenants:Panasonic Wild Knights (1991-present)
Top League (2003-present)
2019 Rugby World Cup
National High School Rugby Tournament (Saitama Prefecture Qualification)
Seating Capacity:30,000 (Rugby World Cup)[2]
24,000 (permanent)

Kumagaya Rugby Stadium (熊谷ラグビー場), is a rugby stadium in Kumagaya, Saitama, Japan. It is currently used mostly for rugby union matches. The stadium was built in 1991 and renovated between 2016 and 2018. Its capacity expanded from 20,000 (10,000 seated) to 24,000 people (fully seated).

The stadium is part of a larger sports complex which includes the Kumagaya Athletic Stadium, a smaller athletics stadium and a large arena. The complex is located in the Kumagaya Park.

Uses

It is the main stadium for rugby in the Saitama Prefecture, and serves as the home stadium of Japan Rugby League One club Saitama Wild Knights. It is also used for University League games and sometimes also for other Top League games.

The stadium was one of the venues for of the 2019 Rugby World Cup (Japan) the first Rugby World Cup to be held in Asia.[3] 6,000 temporary seats will be added to increase the stadium capacity.

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: 来月から熊谷ラグビー場改修工事 完成は30年8月予定. 産経新聞. 2016-05-11. 2016-10-27.
  2. Web site: 1 December 2016 . Japanese . 熊谷スポーツ文化公園ラグビーワールドカップ2019に向けた熊谷ラグビー場の改修工事がスタートします! . . 16 January 2019 . 1 October 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191001210556/http://www.pref.saitama.lg.jp/a0001/news/page/160510-03.html . dead .
  3. Web site: World Rugby approves revised Japan 2019 hosting roadmap. World Rugby. 22 October 2015.