South Korea Launches Nationwide Inspection of Football Pitches After Criticism

The sports ministry will evaluate 27 stadiums starting in April and collaborate on a sustainable maintenance system as the national team remains on track for World Cup qualification.

• South Korea's sports ministry announced a nationwide inspection of football pitches at 27 K League stadiums, set to begin in April 2025.
• The initiative follows national team captain Son Heung-min's criticism of poor pitch conditions, which he linked to underperformance in recent World Cup qualifiers.
• Recent qualifiers were moved from Seoul due to turf issues, with replacement venues also drawing criticism from players for substandard conditions.
• Authorities plan to collaborate with the K League, stadium operators, and clubs to develop a sustainable pitch maintenance system, while studying international practices, including Japan's methods.
• Despite recent struggles in home qualifiers, South Korea remains on course to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, with decisive matches scheduled in June 2025.

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Al Jazeera