Japanese Fans to Clean Stadiums at 2026 World Cup

Japanese soccer fans are poised to uphold their longstanding tradition of cleaning stadiums after matches when the country opens play at the 2026 World Cup with group games in Arlington, Texas, and Monterrey, Mexico.

The practice, which first captured global attention during Japan's debut at the 1998 World Cup in France, has persisted through every tournament since. Supporters meticulously pick up trash, leaving venues spotless in contrast to the debris often left by crowds elsewhere. At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, fans attached thank-you notes in Arabic, English, and Japanese to rubbish bags. Four years earlier in Russia, Japanese players cleaned their dressing room after a loss and left a note in Russian expressing gratitude.

Experts attribute the behavior to deep-rooted cultural norms instilled from childhood. "Beginning in elementary school, students are socialized to behave this way in the classroom, in the school yard or on a playing field," said Koichi Nakano, a politics and history professor at Sophia University. He cited the Japanese proverb "Tatsu tori ato wo nigosazu," which translates to "a bird leaves nothing behind," or more idiomatically, "return it the way you...