The likes of Brazil superstar Neymar and Japan hotshot Keisuke Honda will take to the National Stadium field under a closed roof for tonight's Japan-Brazil football friendly.
With a capacity 55,000 crowd expected for the clash, it will be the first time that a football match of such a scale will be played under the closed retractable domed roof of the new stadium. In August, 27,338 spectators saw Italian giants Juventus outclass a Singapore Selection side 5-0.
But as was the case in August, the stadium's pitch is threatening to put a dampener on the occasion. Juventus decided against risking star striker Carlos Tevez on the patchy and sandy pitch in August. And with Brazil coach Dunga expressing concern over the state of the field, which has improved little despite the best efforts of the Singapore Sport Hub, there is concern that some star players may not see much or any action tonight.
Perhaps some consolation is that Brazil captain Neymar has vowed that his team are taking the match seriously.
He said: "We want to stay at a high level of performance after a good performance against Argentina (a 2-0 win in Beijing last week). Japan are a team with a lot of quality."
Japan's Mexican Javier Aguirre also assured that there will be much to play for, despite the match being only a friendly.
Said the 55-year-old, who led Mexico to the 2009 Concacaf Gold Cup title: "Each and every man is playing for his place at the Asian Cup. They must show me what they can do for their country."
With a bumper crowd set to descend on Kallang, here are some useful information ahead of the big match.
Take public transport: Heavy traffic is expected around the National Stadium two hours before and after the match. Pre-sold parking around the Sports Hub is already sold out. So, for a stress-free and enjoyable experience, avoid driving and instead take the MRT to the stadium.
Do not bring high-end cameras or selfie sticks:
Cameras of a professional standard, with interchangeable or telephoto lenses, are prohibited. Video and audio recording devices are also prohibited. Only non-commercial photography, using cameras with a fixed lens, is permitted. Selfie sticks are also banned, as are air horns, flares and musical instruments.
Weather/haze predictions: Mostly cloudy, but showers are expected in the afternoon. There may be occasional slight haze during the day. The overall air quality is expected to be in the top end of the Moderate range but may enter the low end of the Unhealthy range should certain wind conditions prevail.
Live on TV
Those without tickets can still enjoy the full match live on StarHub TV Ch112 and Ch205, or tune to 76.25MHz.
Check out the National Stadium's venue guide at bit.ly/1xJUAsB
