World Cup Stadium — a first-timer’s outside look

Standing in front of a stadium where World Cup games were once played for the first time makes it difficult for one not to smile.

On April 18, as FC Seoul fans decked in black and red prepared for their team’s afternoon match with Daegu, it was impossible to ignore the majestic stadium where their team played.

World Cup Stadium in western Seoul, just north of the Han River, is the primary stadium in South Korea. The South Korean team made the semi-finals during its 2002 World Cup host year.

The stadium even stands out in Seoul, one of the largest metropolises in the world where high-rises pierce the sky, seemingly the main type of building in the city, and where 10 to 15 million of people live their lives each day.

With a Korean League game about to be played, fans munched on fried meat and perused the outdoor clothing markets before stepping into the stadium.

The crowds were undoubtedly smaller than the World Cup craziness seven years ago (the stadium holds more than 68,000 people, but average FC Seoul attendance is currently less than that). But the love of the game for FC Seoul, which started playing its matches at World Cup Stadium in 2004, was obvious.

These people love their soccer, and FC Seoul fans have reason to celebrate. Sure, their team ended the game in a 0-0 draw with Daegu.

But hey, for every home game they get to enter the country’s greatest stadium.