Home is where the heart is, and for Sanfrecce Hiroshima that heart has been beating strongly since they moved into a new stadium at the start of this season.
Michael Skibbe’s team has attracted more than 25,000 fans to each of its J1 games at the spectacular Edion Peace Wing Hiroshima since it opened in February, almost double the figure the club was averaging at its Big Arch Stadium a year ago.
The soccer-specific venue also played host to Japan and Syria’s World Cup qualifier earlier this month, the first time a men’s national team game had been held in Hiroshima in 20 years.