With its 150,000 seats and 51 acres, May Day Stadium is the world’s largest football stadium. That’s 50,000 more seats than Camp Nou, the home stadium of FC Barcelona! Located on the outskirts of Pyongyang on Rungra Island, the May Day Stadium can be seen from the top of the Juche Tower or while driving around the city. The stadium’s roof also features 16 arches arranged to resemble a magnolia blossom.
The stadium was opened on May 1, 1989 in conjunction with the workers’ International Fight Day and is used when large events are held. The first event hosted in the stadium was the 13th World Festival of Youth and Students in 1989 in which 177 countries took part. The May Day Stadium is the most famously used for when the Arirang Mass Games are held in North Korea, involving gymnastics and intricately choreographed dance routines. In 2007, the Guinness Book of Records recognized the Mass Games of June/July 2002 as the largest gymnastics display ever with 100,090 participants. It also hosted the 2018 Inter-Korean Summit Pyeongyang in which President Moon Jae-in of South Korea gave a speech with Chairman Kim Jong-un to approximately 150,000 North Korean spectators. The stadium is also used to start and finish the annual Pyongyang Marathon which runs along the Taedong River.
You can join Above Borders on our exciting trips and see it for yourself. If you are feeling adventurous, you can even take on the role of an athlete by participating in the Pyongyang Marathon in April of 2021 alongside 50,000 North Korean participants. You have the opportunity to choose how far you would like to run including: 5 km, 10 km, half-marathon or a full marathon. We are excited to see you complete the journey of a lifetime!
