The Morning After

The majestic new stadium on the South Korean isle of Cheju basks in the noon sun, just like the crater volcanoes that dot this tropical wonderland and inspired the arena's form. Meanwhile, in Miyagi, Japan, a $585 million marvel of a stadium sits in the rolling countryside like a gleaming samurai helmet, designed to hold nearly 50,000 spectators. "The World Cup gave us the perfect opportunity to develop a real infrastructure," crows Junji Ogura, vice president of the Japan Football Association. There's just one problem: neither the Cheju nor Miyagi stadiums is home to a football team.

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