To mark the holding of the World Cup in Niigata and to foster a love of soccer among the people of Niigata City and Niigata Prefecture, the Challenge Niigata Middle School Soccer Tournament was held recently. Strong teams from outside Niigata Prefecture were invited to take part. Kobari Junior High School came fifth.

Here are some pictures of how the World Cup mood is building in our area. This is a photo of the area near the south exit of Niigata Station. This is where shuttle buses taking fans direct to Niigata Stadium Big Swan will leave from.

This is a photo of gas tanks near the Big Swan stadium. People are getting more and more excited as the World Cup draws near.

This is a picture of Niigata Stadium Big Swan. This stadium has about 42,300 seats. The roof is a double-cross arch and has a Teflon membrane structure. It covers 90% of the seats. The pitch is made of Western grass that can withstand cold weather and is bright green all year round. Please come and visit Niigata!