Shizuoka Stadium

Shizuoka Stadium ECOPA
静岡スタジアムエコパ
Location	Fukuroi, Shizuoka, Japan
Coordinates	34°44′36″N 137°58′14″E / 34.74333°N 137.97056°E
Public transit	JR Central: ; Tōkaidō Main Line at Aino
Owner	Shizuoka Prefecture
Operator	Shizuoka Prefectural Football Association
Capacity	50,889
Field size	106 m × 72 m
Surface	Grass
Opened	March 2001
Tenants
	Júbilo Iwata ; Shimizu S-Pulse ; (select matches)

Shizuoka Stadium ECOPA (静岡スタジアム・エコパ, Shizuoka Sutajiamu Ekopa) is a sports stadium used primarily for football. The stadium is in Fukuroi City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, although the stadium itself is merely the centrepiece of the larger Ogasayama Sports Park which extends into neighbouring Kakegawa. The stadium's capacity is 50,889. It is now the primary venue for major sporting events in Shizuoka Prefecture, including track and field, for which it is fully equipped.

Usage

Shizuoka Stadium opened in 2001 and hosted its first major event on May 12, 2001, which was the Shizuoka Derby J. League match between Shimizu S-Pulse and Júbilo Iwata. A record crowd of 52,959 saw an extra time 1-0 victory for Shimizu.

Ecopa continues to be the venue for Júbilo Iwata's more high-profile games, including the Shizuoka Derby. Shimizu S-Pulse have not used the stadium for a home league since 2015.

In recent years Ecopa has also been home to one semifinal match of the Emperor's Cup, sharing the duty with the Kokuritsu in Shinjuku, Tokyo. But, due to its isolation and the fact that both semifinals are held at the same time, Ecopa usually has less attendance.

The stadium played host to some matches during the 2002 FIFA World Cup, including Belgium versus Russia in the group stage (which Belgium won 3–2) and the quarter-final match between Brazil and England, which Brazil won 2–1.

It hosted the 2003 58th National Sports Festival of Japan main stadium.

The stadium was used as one of the venues for 2019 Rugby World Cup (Japan) which was the first Rugby World Cup to be held in Asia.^[2]

Next to the stadium is the indoor Ecopa Arena which is used for various performances and shows.

Access

Aino Station was constructed at the same time as the stadium and is a fifteen-minute walk from the stadium. Aino Station is four minutes west of Kakegawa Station, the nearest Shinkansen station to Ecopa. When the stadium is used for J. League or international fixtures, shuttle buses run from Kakegawa station to the stadium.

The walk from Aino Station to the stadium is notable for the sixteen works of art which line the route. These were commissioned to commemorate the 2002 World Cup, with each art piece being designed by an artist from a previous host of the competition.