Asian Games crowds in spotlight as 998 see hosts in 50,000 stadium

In a display of sporting enthusiasm and challenge, only 998 spectators witnessed Japan triumph over South Korea in the semi-finals of the women's football event at the 50,000-capacity stadium in Shizuoka during the Asian Games. This figure underscored the ongoing struggle to generate robust interest in certain competitions. The situation arose just hours after organizers in Aichi-Nagoya announced that over one million tickets had been snapped up for the region's largest sporting extravaganza.

The opening ceremony held on September 19 had been marred by empty seats, with organizers attributing this to the looming threat of a typhoon and heavy rain that persisted from Sunday through Tuesday. While some events drew sizable crowds, many others struggled to entice fans. The first women's football semi-final at the stadium, a venue previously utilized for the 2002 FIFA World Cup, saw North Korea edge out China 2-0, with 564 people in attendance.

Following a steady downpour, 998 spectators then bore witness to Japan's 2-2 draw with South Korea. Japan and North Korea are set to contest the gold medal match on Friday at the same venue. On Saturday, local Games organizers admitted they were not content with ticket sales after the men's and women's 100m events, which also took place in front of large empty seats.

Secretary-General Satoshi Murate told AFP, "We will keep aiming for full stadiums, keep selling tickets and work to make sure people who have secured seats actually come." Organizers have since released a statement indicating that the overall ticket sales rate is projected to exceed 70 percent. AFP has reached out to the local organizing committee for further comment.