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Japan Today
10-06-2025
- Sport
- Japan Today
Urawa fans certain to bring noise to Club World Cup final
Japan's Urawa Reds will compete at the Club World Cup in the United States soccer By Andrew McKIRDY Their raucous fans are the self-styled bad boys of Japanese soccer and the team's red shirts, white shorts and black socks bear more than a passing resemblance to Manchester United. But while the fallen English giants won't be at the Club World Cup, Urawa Reds will and are set to be roared on in the United States by more than 5,000 followers. Japan's best-supported club face Inter Milan, River Plate and Monterrey in the opening round when the revamped competition starts on June 14. Urawa is a nondescript suburb about an hour north of Tokyo and the team have been known to draw crowds of over 50,000 to their Saitama Stadium home. Crowd trouble is extremely rare in Japan but Urawa were banned from last season's domestic cup after "ultra" supporters ripped down barriers and threatened opposition fans. In 2014 they were forced to play a game behind closed doors after fans displayed a racist banner. Supporters say they are misunderstood and are looking forward to hoisting their flags and belting out their songs in front of a global audience. "People who aren't really interested in soccer think that we're scary people, but I always tell them that's not true," Urawa fan Kakeru Inoue told AFP before a recent game. "I often bring workmates to games to show them what it's really like." Urawa began life as Mitsubishi's company team and their official name of Urawa Red Diamonds is a nod to the industrial behemoth's corporate logo. They were originally called Mitsubishi Urawa Football Club, or MUFC, another link to the Premier League side. Despite having been crowned Asian champions three times, Urawa have only won the domestic once, in 2006 under German former player and 1990 World Cup winner Guido Buchwald. Urawa have appeared at the Club World Cup three times, most recently losing 3-0 to Manchester City in the semi-finals in 2023. Veteran goalkeeper Shusaku Nishikawa says they are proud to be the only Japanese team at the inaugural 32-team Club World Cup. "The competition will get a lot of attention from around the world and it has a big meaning for us," he said. "Who knows whether a Japanese team will play in it again because you need to become Asian champions to earn that right." Professional football only started in Japan in 1993 but it took root quickly in Urawa. The club signed overseas players including Buchwald and brought through homegrown internationals like Shinji Ono, Makoto Hasebe and current Japan goalkeeper Zion Suzuki. The club's achievements have at times been overshadowed by their fans, who hung a banner reading "Japanese only" over an entrance to the stands before a 2014 game. The incident earned Urawa the dubious distinction of becoming the first Japanese club to be ordered to play a game behind closed doors. One Urawa fan who has attended games since the began said the club were "all about ultra culture". "That's something you can only get in Urawa," said the supporter, who gave his name only as Nakaji. "No other club can match us." Urawa are coached by Poland's Maciej Skorza, who is back for a second spell after leading the club to the Asian Champions League title in 2023. The Club World Cup is being played in the middle of the season, which runs from February to December. Urawa have made a strong start to their domestic campaign and look poised to challenge for the title, having finished 13th last season. Norwegian defender Marius Hoibraten says the Club World Cup is "a motivation rather than a distraction". "Being able to meet the best teams from other countries is a nice experience for us, everyone is buzzing," said the 30-year-old, one of the few non-Japanese players in Urawa's squad. "It's a little bit of unknown water. Everyone is really looking forward to it." © 2025 AFP
Japan Today
07-06-2025
- Sport
- Japan Today
'Floating village' in Nagoya to house thousands of Asian Games athletes
Performers representing Japan at the closing ceremony of the Hangzhou Asian Games By Andrew McKIRDY Athletes at next year's Asian Games in Japan will stay on a "floating village" cruise ship and in converted shipping containers, an organizing official told AFP, defending the cost-cutting move. The plan will see 4,600 athletes and officials housed on the ship for the duration of the Games, which are being held in Nagoya and the wider Aichi area from September 19 to October 4, 2026. Organizers will lease a luxury cruise liner that will be docked at Nagoya's port. A further 2,400 people will stay in temporary shelters made from shipping containers a short bus ride away, with the two locations accommodating about half of the 15,000 athletes and officials expected at the Games. The rest will be in other accommodation, including in Tokyo where the swimming competition will take place. Local organizers were keen to avoid the cost of building a traditional athletes' village, but Asian Olympic chiefs warned that any alternative must make sure athletes can meet and mingle together. Kazuhiro Yagi, vice-secretary general of the Aichi-Nagoya Games organizing committee, told AFP that they had listened to athletes' opinions and wanted to "provide a service that satisfies them". "The cruise ship and container houses are in different locations, but they are only about 10 minutes apart by shuttle bus," he said. "I don't think it will be a problem at all with regards to being able to interact with other athletes. "There is an aquarium and various other entertainment facilities in the area. I think they'll be able to take a break, relax and come together." The 2023 Games in China's Hangzhou had about 12,000 athletes, making it the biggest Asian Games in history, with more competitors than the Olympics. The Asian Games are back in Japan for the first time since Hiroshima in 1994. The country has held several major sports events since then including the pandemic-delayed Olympics in 2021, soccer's World Cup in 2002 and the Rugby World Cup in 2019. Yagi admits that there "still isn't enough awareness" that the Aichi-Nagoya Games are happening, and says more needs to be done to spread the word. "I don't think there is anyone in Japan who hasn't heard of the Olympics or Paralympics, but my personal feeling is that maybe only half the population knows the Asian Games," he said. "Young people weren't born when it was last held here 32 years ago, so I'd like them to find out that it's a great event." The Asian Games feature an eclectic mix of events, with bridge, kabaddi and dragon boat racing rubbing shoulders with traditional Olympic sports such as athletics, swimming, gymnastics and football. The Aichi-Nagoya Games has added mixed martial arts to the program and Yagi hopes its debut will showcase Asia's diverse martial arts traditions and attract new fans. "We want to appeal to the needs of young people, so including new events is essential," he said. "We want to include mixed martial arts so that we can get the younger generation interested in sport." Esports proved a huge hit on its full Asian Games debut in Hangzhou, with fans packing into the futuristic 4,500-seat arena to watch star gamers like South Korea's Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok. Aichi-Nagoya will be the first time Japan has hosted an eSports competition on such a large scale, and Yagi thinks its benefits will be felt by more than just young people. "Esports can help elderly people who don't get a chance to exercise much," he said. "You use your fingers and make detailed movements, which I have heard is good for combating dementia. "I think this is a good chance for people of a wide range of ages to find out more about eSports." © 2025 AFP
