Why was the Korea Cup match involving Pohang Steelers and Jinju Citizen FC moved from Pohang Steel Yard?

It was moved because the stadium will undergo comprehensive safety inspections after a concrete piece fell from the ceiling during a recent K League 1 match and injured a fan. Pohang Steelers said the relocation was made in response to the safety concern.

What happened to the fan injured at Pohang Steel Yard during the K League 1 match?

The fan suffered a minor hand injury after a piece of concrete fell from the ceiling. Pohang Steelers said the fan stayed at the stadium and watched the rest of the match from another area instead of going to a local hospital for a further checkup.

When will the replacement venue for Pohang Steelers' next matches be decided?

The club said the new venue for next Wednesday's Korea Cup match and for upcoming K League 1 matches will be decided after discussions with relevant authorities. It also said it had been carrying out safety checks on the concrete ceilings for the past few days when the incident occurred.

Safety issues at football stadium prompts match relocation

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Summary

Safety concerns at Pohang Steel Yard have forced a Korea Cup round of 16 match against Jinju Citizen FC to be moved from the 36-year-old stadium in Pohang. Pohang Steelers said the venue will undergo comprehensive safety inspections after a piece of concrete fell from the ceiling during a K League 1 match last Saturday and injured a fan. The club said the fan suffered a minor hand injury and that the replacement venue will be decided after talks with relevant authorities.

Key Facts

Pohang Steel Yard opened in 1990 and has been the home stadium of Pohang Steelers.
The stadium will undergo comprehensive safety inspections in the coming days.
The incident happened during a K League 1 match last Saturday, when a piece of concrete fell from the ceiling.
The injured fan sustained a minor hand injury and did not go to a local hospital for further checkup.
The new venue for next Wednesday's Korea Cup match and upcoming K League 1 matches will be decided after discussions with relevant authorities.

By Yonhap

Published Aug 13, 2026 5:58 pm KST

A photo of the Pohang Steelers' home stadium, Pohang Steel Yard, in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province / Courtesy of Pohang Steelers

An upcoming national football tournament match has been moved out of a 36-year-old football stadium in the southeastern city of Pohang due to safety concerns, officials said Thursday.

Pohang Steelers of the K League 1 said their home stadium, Pohang Steel Yard, will undergo "comprehensive safety inspections" in the coming days and thus will not host the round of 16 match against Jinju Citizen FC at the Korea Cup tournament next Wednesday.

The move was in response to an incident during a K League 1 match last Saturday at the stadium, where a piece of concrete fell from the ceiling and injured a fan.

According to the club, the fan sustained a minor hand injury and watched the rest of the match from another area of the stadium, instead of going to a local hospital for a further checkup.

"We would like to apologize for the inconvenience and concern caused by this incident," Pohang Steelers said. "In order to ensure the safety of our fans, we will implement all the necessary steps following the safety inspections and continue to strengthen our stadium management."

The club added that the new venue for next week's Korea Cup match and for upcoming K League 1 matches will be determined following discussions with relevant authorities.

The stadium in question opened in 1990. The club explained it had been carrying out safety checks on the concrete ceilings throughout the stadium for the past few days when the incident occurred.

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