Why did the K League ban matches at Pohang Steel Yard?

The league acted after a piece of concrete fell from the ceiling during a match last Saturday and injured a fan. It said the stadium cannot host matches again until safety is fully ensured after an extensive inspection.

Which Pohang Steelers home matches were moved because of the stadium safety problem?

The club’s two remaining K League 1 home matches in August were moved away from Pohang Steel Yard. They are against Bucheon 1995 on Aug. 22 and Gangwon FC on Aug. 30.

Football league bans matches at old stadium over safety issues

Q: What happened to the fan injured by falling concrete at Pohang Steel Yard?

According to Pohang Steelers, the fan suffered a minor hand injury and watched the rest of the match from another area of the stadium. The fan did not go to a local hospital for a further checkup.

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Summary

The K League banned matches at Pohang Steel Yard in Pohang until further notice after a concrete piece fell from the ceiling and injured a fan. Pohang Steelers will not host their two remaining August K League 1 home games there, and the venue will stay closed until safety is fully ensured after inspections. The club also will not host next week’s Korea Cup round of 16 match against Jinju Citizen FC.

Key Facts

The K League said Pohang Steelers will not host their two remaining K League 1 home matches in August at Pohang Steel Yard.
Those postponed home matches are against Bucheon 1995 on Aug. 22 and Gangwon FC on Aug. 30.
The stadium incident happened during a league match last Saturday at the 36-year-old venue, where a piece of concrete fell from the ceiling and injured a fan.
Pohang Steelers said the fan suffered a minor hand injury and stayed at the stadium for the rest of the match instead of going to a local hospital.
Pohang Steelers announced on Thursday that they will not host the Korea Cup round of 16 match against Jinju Citizen FC next Wednesday for safety reasons.

By Yonhap

Published Aug 14, 2026 5:32 pm KST

This undated file photo, provided by Pohang Steelers, shows the football club's home stadium, Pohang Steel Yard, in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province. Yonhap

The top national football league announced Friday it has banned matches at a stadium in the southeastern city of Pohang until further notice due to safety concerns.

The Korea Professional Football League (K League) said Pohang Steelers will not be allowed to play their two remaining K League 1 home matches for August at Pohang Steel Yard in Pohang, some 270 kilometers southeast of Seoul, while safety checks are carried out at the venue.

Those two matches are against Bucheon 1995 on Aug. 22 and against Gangwon FC on Aug. 30.

The decision was reached in response to an incident during a league match last Saturday at the 36-year-old stadium, where a piece of concrete fell from the ceiling and injured a fan.

According to Steelers, the fan suffered 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.

The K League said it had asked Pohang Steelers to seek an alternate home for their next two home matches. After failing to do so, Steelers agreed to let Bucheon and Gangwon host those games, respectively.

The league office added that Pohang Steel Yard will not be allowed to host any match until safety is fully ensured following an extensive inspection.

The K League said it will run safety checks at other stadiums and take all the necessary measures to provide a safe environment for spectators, players and match officials.

On Thursday, Steelers announced they will not host the round of 16 match against Jinju Citizen FC at the Korea Cup tournament next Wednesday for safety reasons.

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