Singapore opens glittering new National Stadium
Brand new state-of-the-art 55,000-seat arena opens in riverside Kallang district with two-day international rugby 10s tournament
Singapore on Saturday opened the doors to its new state-of-the-art National Stadium for the first time as the arena hosted a two-day international rugby 10s tournament.
Organisers said the inaugural World Club 10s, featuring eight professional teams from around the globe, is expected to draw about 12,000 people to the 55,000-seat arena over the weekend.
Teams participating in the tournament include New Zealand’s Blues, captained by All Blacks scrum-half Piri Weepu, Australian powerhouse Brumbies and a selection of the Samoa national team.
Also featuring are the Asia-Pacific Dragons, a team planning to enter the successful Southern Hemisphere Super Series with the new Singapore arena as its home base.
Singapore Rugby Union chief Low Teo Ping said the opening of the stadium was an “important moment” for sports in the wealthy island nation.
“A spanking new stadium equipped with ultra-modern facilities and a retractable roof that can take care of the elements – fans have been waiting for this for a long time,” Low, who is also the vice-president of the Singapore National Olympic Council, told reporters.
The National Stadium, featuring a domed, retractable roof and air-cooled seating, is the centrepiece of Singapore’s US$1 billion Sports Hub complex that is opening in stages this year.