After a group of children in Incheon saw crewmen from a visiting British warship playing soccer in 1882, they began to imitate the sport with leather soccer balls left behind by the sailors. It was then that soccer was born in Korea.
Today, the city of Incheon continues to be at the forefront of Korean sports with the completion of the world-renowned Incheon Munhak Stadium, built in 2001.
More than 98 percent of Incheon Munhak Stadium’s 50,256 seats are covered using more than 359,000 square feet of Birdair’s PTFE tensile fabric membrane. The roofing structure’s undulating shape represents Incheon’s maritime heritage by effectively mimicking the shape of masts and sails crossing the sea.
One of 10 new stadiums constructed for the 2002 World Cup, Incheon Munhak Stadium is the home field of the professional team, Incheon FC, and plays host to numerous conventions and performances. It is slated to serve as the home stadium for the 2014 Asian Games.