Key facts
- South Korean and Qatari football teams arrived 30 minutes late for their Asian Games match on Sept. 15, 2026.
- Bus drivers for both teams got lost and went to a baseball stadium instead of the football venue.
- The teams arrived at the venue around 6:20 p.m. for a 7:30 p.m. match.
- Players had limited time to warm up due to the late arrival.
- South Korean coach Lee Min-sung also experienced a transportation delay prior to the tournament.
The South Korean and Qatari men's national football teams for their Asian Games match in Japan arrived at the stadium approximately 30 minutes later than scheduled on September 15, 2026, after their bus drivers became lost on the way. According to a South Korean team official, the drivers mistakenly went to an adjacent baseball stadium instead of the football venue, which is part of the larger Mizuho Sports Park.
The teams were scheduled to kick off Group D action at 7:30 p.m. local time, with warmups set to begin 50 minutes prior. However, their late arrival around 6:20 p.m. left them with minimal time to prepare for the match, which proceeded despite the circumstances. The official expressed that such an incident should not occur in an international competition, though the Korea Football Association had not yet filed a formal complaint.
This was not the first transportation issue for the South Korean football team during the tournament. Head coach Lee Min-sung was also delayed for his pretournament press conference on September 14, 2026, when the organizing committee failed to provide a designated vehicle, requiring him to take a taxi.