TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — An ambitious new soccer facility, Taichung International Soccer Stadium, is proceeding on schedule, according to a Taichung Sports Bureau announcement on Tuesday.
The project, featuring a natural grass playing surface and seating for 6,000 spectators, is scheduled to be inaugurated in June 2026. Officials said the underground parking facility and concrete grandstand have been completed, with workers now engaged in supporting facilities and backfill, per a press release.
The project was budgeted at NT$1.27 billion (US$38.5 million) but was later increased to NT$1.5 billion due to design-related changes and international certification. In addition to the main natural grass 11-on-11 playing surface, adjacent practice fields will utilize artificial turf.
Meanwhile, New Zealand's women's national soccer team withdrew from an international friendly competition at the Kaohsiung Nanzih Football Stadium on Monday evening due to poor playing conditions. New Zealand coaches and trainers deemed the pitch unsafe for play, per CT Want.
Sports Administration Director-General Cheng Shih-chung (鄭世忠) appeared at the legislature on Wednesday, noting that responsibility lies with the Taiwan Football Association for scheduling too many matches and practices on the playing surface. He added that the NT$3 million subsidy for the international match will not be paid.
The match against New Zealand was to be the first international match held at home by the women's football team in five years. Legislator Fan Yun (范雲) raised questions about how the Kaohsiung stadium could be so heavily used that the turf was ruined.
Cheng blamed poor communication between the maintenance and technical department and the competition department of the Taiwan Football Association. Legislators also questioned why Taiwan’s women’s team was forced to practice at I-Shou University, which demonstrated gender inequality in sports.
Legislator Ko Chih-en (柯志恩) called on the Sports Administration to have more venues that meet international competition standards. She also called on sports associations to improve scheduling and venue coordination to prevent such incidents from happening.
Cheng said that other annual subsidies totaling more than NT$100 million for soccer development are used for player training and league administration. If such funding is canceled, it could sacrifice the rights and interests of local soccer players.
