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

NAGOYA: An underwhelming 998 spectators watched Japan host South Korea in the women's football semi-finals of the Asian Games at a 50,000-capacity stadium, according to a top official. The official admitted that attendance at some events was disappointing. Japanese organizers have faced criticism over ticket sales since the opening ceremony on September 19, which took place in front of thousands of empty seats in Nagoya.

Rainfall from Sunday to Tuesday was cited as a factor behind the poor turnout. While some competitions drew healthy crowds, others struggled to attract fans. On Tuesday, North Korea defeated China 2-0 in front of an official attendance of 564 at the Shizuoka stadium, which hosted the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Japan will face North Korea for the gold medal on Friday at the same venue.

Takashi Yamazaki, head of ticketing, told reporters: "Sports that are selling well are at 80 percent or 90 percent or more." However, he added that large venues for baseball and football, as well as athletics, had struggled from the start due to their size. Ticket sales typically increase in the final stretch, but the steady rain stalled sales, causing organizers to be more disappointed than expected.

Despite selling over one million tickets for the continent's biggest sporting event, organizers in Aichi-Nagoya admitted dissatisfaction after the men's and women's 100m events took place in front of thousands of empty seats on Friday.