He expressed dissatisfaction with the condition of the World Cup Stadium.

Korea’s top soccer star Son Heung Min’s criticism of the Seoul World Cup Stadium has turned into an unexpected hurdle in the way of singer IU’s concert.

On September 11, KST, a petition was filed requesting the cancellation of the upcoming 2024 IU HEREH WORLD TOUR CONCERT ENCORE: THE WINNING at the Seoul World Cup Stadium. The petitioner urged that the concert be scrapped to prioritize the maintenance of the stadium’s pitch for the upcoming World Cup qualifier match between South Korea and Iraq on October 15.

The petition came after Song Heung Min criticized the pitch at the Seoul World Cup Stadium after South Korea’s match against Palestine on September 5. The national team captain remarked that despite the team having many s𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁ed players, the condition of the pitch made it difficult for them to control the ball or dribble. He also called for the pitch to be improved for home games.

In the context of these remarks, the petitioner cited that the authorities responsible for maintaining the World Cup Stadium had stated on September 9 that hot weather and a staff shortage were the reasons behind the pitch’s poor condition. Given that IU’s concert will draw a large footfall, the pitch is bound to deteriorate further. Hence, they asked for the event to be scrapped.

The petitioner also highlighted that Article 5-3 (Restrictions on Usage Permission) of the Ordinance on the Installation and Operation of Sports Facilities by the Seoul Metropolitan Government stipulates that the city is allowed to deny or cancel the use of sports facilities if it is deemed necessary for facility management or other critical reasons.

The national team’s growing dissatisfaction with the Seoul World Cup Stadium pitch has reportedly prompted the Football Association to consider moving the scheduled match against Iraq to a different stadium.

Meanwhile, IU is set to host two back-to-back concerts at the stadium on September 21 and 22. The cumulative number of tickets sold for the event is approximately 100,000 seats, all of which sold out quickly after the dates were announced.