Seoul Converts Han River Football Pitch, Adds 14 Outdoor Pickleball Courts
Seoul announced a conversion of an underused football pitch at Gwangnaru Hangang Park into 14 outdoor pickleball courts, increasing public provision from eight to 22 courts across the city. The project is slated to open in March 2026 and aims to expand affordable, age inclusive recreation under Mayor Oh Se hoon’s Healthy City 9988 policy.
Seoul city officials confirmed plans to repurpose an underused football pitch along the Han River at Gwangnaru Hangang Park into 14 outdoor pickleball courts, a move that will more than double municipal public courts from eight to 22. The new facility is scheduled to open in March 2026 and is intended to provide lower cost, high capacity access to a sport that has surged in local demand.
City planners framed the conversion as part of Mayor Oh Se hoon’s Healthy City 9988 recreational sports policy, which emphasizes inclusive, low barrier activities for residents across age groups. Officials expect the larger number of public courts to ease pressure on expensive private court rentals in Seoul, redirect recreational demand toward municipal facilities and support broader community health goals.
Practical details released with the plan put a two hour court rental at 8,000 won, aligning pricing with local tennis courts and making casual play more affordable for families, seniors and working players. The Gwangnaru Hangang Park location along the Han River was selected because the site is currently underused as a football pitch, and it provides easy access for public transport, running paths and existing park amenities.
For players the conversion means more available hours and fewer conflicts over prime time slots, and community organizers say the larger public capacity will allow expanded programming, coaching clinics and intergenerational play sessions. City planners also anticipate the courts will be used for introductory sessions aimed at older adults, consistent with the Healthy City policy goal of broad participation.
The project reflects a wider trend in urban recreation planning where municipal governments convert low use sites into facilities for popular, accessible sports. Seoul’s investment in public pickleball courts offers a practical, lower cost alternative for residents and a potential model for other cities balancing demand, public space and community health.
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