Updated September 10, 2026
Updates and additions have been made to the red text under "3. Expansion of North and South Upper Tier Front Row Areas > Viewing Rules."
Kashima Antlers will implement some changes to operational rules and entry routes, starting from the Meiji Yasuda J1 Hyakunen Koso League, with the aim of further invigorating the area outside the stadium and improving accessibility and convenience for all visitors.
To ensure a safer and more comfortable experience for the new season, we kindly ask for your understanding and cooperation regarding the following changes.
◼︎Date of Implementation
Applicable from Saturday, February 14, 2026, for the Meiji Yasuda J1 Hyakunen Koso League Regional League Round EAST Matchday 2 against Yokohama F. Marinos.
1. South Outer Road of the Stadium to Operate as a Time-Restricted "Pedestrian-Only Road"
To improve the accessibility and convenience for all visitors, a time-restricted pedestrian-only road will be introduced on a section of the stadium's outer perimeter road.
Please note that during the times when the Kashima Antlers team bus enters, the road will continue to operate as a vehicle road. For safe match operation, we kindly ask for your cooperation in following the instructions of staff during transitions.
◼︎Target Area
Mercari Stadium south outer perimeter road (from the Kashima Sports Center crosswalk to the Mercari Road crosswalk) *Highlighted in yellow on the map below
◼︎Pedestrian Access Hours
・5 hours before kickoff to 2 hours before kickoff *Times may vary depending on the match.
・After the team bus arrives at the venue until kickoff
◼︎Request for Cooperation
・Staff will guide transitions between the pedestrian-only road and the vehicle road. Please follow instructions for safe passage.
・Crossing recklessly during regulatory transitions or obstructing vehicle traffic is extremely dangerous and strictly prohibited.
・Regulatory times may change depending on the circumstances on match day. We appreciate your understanding in advance.
2. Changes to the Entry Route for Mercari Stadium Front Parking Lot
With the introduction of the "pedestrian-only road," we will change the entry route for the front parking lot as described below to ensure smoother entry and exit by separating the flow of general visitors.
◼︎Target
Users of the front parking lot (F, G, V parking lots)
◼︎Changes
The entry route will be changed from the conventional "south outer road" to entry from the "north outer road."
*When exiting after the match has started, both the north and south outer roads can be used, but exit from the north outer road will be restricted to "left turns only."
◼︎Request for Cooperation
・On the day of the event, please be sure to present your parking pass and follow the guidance of security personnel for safe entry.
・For safety, please drive slowly within the grounds and on the outer roads.
3. Expansion of North and South Upper Tier Front Row Areas
Until now, the front three rows of the north and south upper tier stands were restricted, but starting from the Meiji Yasuda J1 Hyakunen Koso League, they will be opened as a sales area. As this is a steep area in the upper tier, we ask you to comply with the following viewing rules to ensure everyone can enjoy the match safely.
◼︎Target Area
Front 3 rows of the North and South Upper Tier Stands
◼︎Viewing Rules
・Due to the steep incline, please be careful not to fall.
・To prevent items from falling, placing or hanging anything on the front railing is prohibited. Also, please ensure that flags and other items are not extended beyond the railing.
・The use of flags exceeding the size of commercially available L-flags (1,015mm x 1,575mm) is prohibited.
・Leaning over or putting your feet on the railing is extremely dangerous and strictly prohibited.
◼︎Other
・The North Upper Tier Stand will only be open for sales. The area covered may vary depending on the match.
・The upper area of the visitor-only seats (including the lower buffer zone) will remain unavailable for sale as before.
4. Increase in Re-entry Gates and Changes to Operation
To improve accessibility to the area outside the stadium, re-entry gates will be increased, and some operational changes will be made.
◼︎Re-entry Gates
・Newly added gates: Gate 1, Gate 6
・Existing gates: NIPPON STEEL Gate, Gate 5, Wheelchair-only Gate
◼︎Operational Changes
NIPPON STEEL Gate: To alleviate congestion, the re-entry only "IN Lane" and "OUT Lane" will be changed to the following operation:
While these changes may cause some inconvenience to our visitors, we kindly ask for your understanding and cooperation as they are implemented to provide a safer and more comfortable viewing environment.