'This is our culture': Japan fans clean up World Cup stadium

Arlington, United States: Japan fans left the stands spotless after their World Cup opener against the Netherlands in Texas on Sunday, saying it was "Japanese culture" to tidy up after themselves. ipl-cricket.in

Spectators stayed behind after the 2-2 draw to make sure they left the stadium as they found it, meticulously picking up litter and stuffing it into blue plastic bags.

It is a habit first learned at primary school and Japan fan Eita Tanaka told AFP that "we have to think about everyone".

"Japanese people think that when we use a certain place, we were told that you have to make that place look tidier when you leave than it was when you arrived," said the 20-year-old, clasping a bottle and a couple of cups, and wearing Japan's blue shirt.

Japan fans clear trash in the stands during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group F match between Netherlands and Japan at Dallas Stadium on June 14, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. Photo by Charlotte Wilson / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

"For example, at school in our classrooms we tidy it up after ourselves without our teacher telling us."

Japan are appearing at their eighth straight World Cup and their fans' cleanliness has become their international calling card.

NFL quarterback Jameis Winston could even be seen joining in the clean-up after Sunday's game, wearing a blue Japan shirt with his name on the back.

Japan fan Futo Hagiwara said he was proud that the behaviour of his countrymen had been recognised in a positive light.

"This is our culture, that means everywhere we go we need to clean it after ourselves, it's our spiritual way, our attitude," he said.

Japan fans clear trash in the stands during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group F match between Netherlands and Japan at Dallas Stadium on June 14, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. Photo by MICHAEL STEELE / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

Sociologist and philosopher Masachi Ohsawa believes a mix of social responsibility and peer pressure is behind the fans' behaviour.

"While Japanese people tend not to take much interest in justice on a large scale -- issues like global inequality, conflict or climate change -- they are extremely sensitive to moral considerations on a smaller scale," he said.

"When it comes to people who they share the same space with or have direct personal contact with, they feel a strong desire not to cause them any trouble or make them feel uncomfortable."

School of life

Cleaning chores are a part of Japanese education from an early age, and children can be seen scrubbing floors and tables at schools every day.

Public waste bins are scarce in the country, and people are expected to take their rubbish home with them.

Getting rid of household waste can be a labyrinthine task that involves separating rubbish into different categories.

Japan fans clear trash in the stands during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group F match between Netherlands and Japan at Dallas Stadium on June 14, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. Photo by MICHAEL STEELE / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

Scott North, emeritus professor of sociology at the University of Osaka, said he and his neighbours get together twice a year to pull out weeds and rake up cuttings.

He said such groups are organised into leaders and followers, and operate in a similar way to Japanese football supporters.

"Since everyone comes together, there's an expectation that they'll act as a group," said North, an American who has lived in Japan for about 40 years.

"And when the leaders break out the bags and say here you go, nobody is going to say no."

Sociologist Ohsawa said such behaviour could be explained by what Japanese people refer to as "reading the air".

"In Japan, even if one person starts picking up litter, those around them feel they simply cannot help but join in," he said.

"That's because if they don't, the people they are with will think they are a bad person."

Japan fans clear trash in the stands during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group F match between Netherlands and Japan at Dallas Stadium on June 14, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. Photo by MICHAEL STEELE / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

He said peer pressure was a powerful social force.

"In this case, the primary motivation isn't so much a desire to keep the stadium clean or to avoid causing trouble for the people who have to clean the stadium afterwards," he said.

"It's more a desire not to be seen as a nuisance in one's own group."

Whatever the reasons, Japan's fans will keep tidying up for as long as they stay in the tournament.

Their next game is against Tunisia in Mexico on Saturday, and fan Hagiwara is happy to keep leading by example.

"We usually don't tell children they should do it," he said.

"We just show our actions and behaviour, and other people follow."

Doha, Qatar: Head coach Julen Lopetegui praised Qatar’s mentality and discipline after Al Annabi secured their first-ever FIFA World Cup point with a dramatic 1-1 draw against Switzerland, insisting his side must now quickly turn their attention to another challenge against co-hosts Canada.

Breel Embolo’s first-half penalty looked set to condemn Qatar to defeat as Switzerland dominated and made 26 attempts across the two halves. But Al Annabi refused to buckle, and four minutes into stoppage time Miro Muheim bundled the ball into his own net under pressure from Boualem Khoukhi to hand Qatar a historic first World Cup point.

For Lopetegui, the result represented another landmark moment in Qatar’s football journey.

“It was already historic just being here. To get a point against Switzerland, who for me are one of the best teams in Europe right now, really solid, with continuity with their coach and top players from top leagues, is important,” the Spanish coach said.

“For that to happen, you need a set of circumstances like those in the match. We were able to survive difficult moments, we didn’t lose composure when behind, which was important, and at the end we got the reward with that goal which gave us that point which had never existed.”

Switzerland dominated for long periods while Qatar relied heavily on goalkeeper Mahmoud Abunada, who produced a string of outstanding saves to keep his team in contention.

Lopetegui revealed his side had anticipated a difficult evening against opponents renowned for their defensive organisation.

“We had to be prepared. We analysed the Swiss team, as they only conceded two goals in their European qualifying campaign, and we knew they had high quality,” he said.

Lopetegui was particularly proud of the character shown by his players regardless of the outcome.

“I am very proud of the team,” he said.

“I told them that even if we hadn’t scored the goal and didn’t draw, I would have been proud of the mentality and discipline that they showed today. But fortunately we scored and that was history.”

Attention has now shifted to Canada’s visit in Vancouver where Qatar will chase a first-ever World Cup victory. The match will take place on June 19 (1am, Qatar time).

“The next match will be the most difficult because it is against Canada, one of the host countries, and they will be playing in front of their fans,” Lopetegui said.

“We must be well prepared after recovery, especially since the players have exerted a great deal of effort.”

Qatar goalkeeper Mahmoud Abunada celebrates after the match.

Canada drew 1-1 with Bosnia and Herzegovina in their opening match.

Abunada, named Man of the Match after his heroic display, shared his coach’s optimism heading into Qatar’s second Group B fixture.

“The team performed admirably during the second half and the players showed a high fighting spirit,” Abunada said.

“We have confidence in our ability to deliver the best performances during the World Cup matches.”

The goalkeeper said that Qatar is getting more experience playing at the global level, which will help them in the future.

“We are capable of delivering what satisfies expectations in this second participation in the World Cup, especially since many of the players have the experience and ability to play against big teams with high quality.”

Abunada also praised the travelling supporters.

“The fans played a major role in motivating the players and pushing them to achieve a positive result,” he said.

Meanwhile, Switzerland coach Murat Yakin insisted his side had only themselves to blame after surrendering victory in stoppage time.

“We have nothing to reproach ourselves for in terms of the way we played,” he said.

“We got into good positions and created good chances, but we weren’t clinical enough. I think we need to work on our precision and our belief.”

Captain Granit Xhaka echoed his coach’s frustration, admitting the Swiss lost patience while chasing a second goal.

“If you don’t take your chances, they’ll come back to bite you,” Xhaka said. “At 1-0, we have to be experienced enough to see out the game.”

Seattle: Belgium and Egypt drew 1-1 in their World Cup opener on Monday after a second-half Belgian equalizer spoiled Mohamed Salah's 34th birthday.

Emam Ashour opened the scoring early in the first half in Seattle, before Romelu Lukaku came off the bench after the hour to force Egypt's Mohamed Hany into an own goal.

With the draw, seven-time Africa Cup of Nations champions Egypt's wait for a first victory at a World Cup goes on.

This is their fourth participation in the global showpiece and with Group G fixtures to come against Iran and New Zealand, they will hope to break that hoodoo in North America.

For Belgium, this tournament is likely the last chance for the remnants of their golden generation to better their third-placed finish in Russia eight years ago and finally win silverware.

Veterans Kevin De Bruyne, Thibaut Courtois and Lukaku are the main protagonists of that group still involved in Rudi Garcia's squad.

With all eyes in the Pacific Northwest on Salah and De Bruyne, it was the ex-Manchester City playmaker that created the first moment of note in the match when he dragged a sharp effort narrowly wide in the seventh minute.

However, it was Ashour who upstaged the pair just before the hydration break when he received the ball in a similar position to De Bruyne but his sweetly-struck effort left Courtois no chance as it whistled into the bottom-right corner.

It was just the second time in their history that Egypt had taken the lead in a World Cup match -- after Salah opened the scoring in a 2-1 defeat to Saudi Arabia in 2018.

De Bruyne came within inches of levelling early in the second period when he whipped a close-range free-kick over the Egyptian wall, only to see it rocket off the outside of the post.

Salah responded at the other end as he ghosted into the box but had his downward header punched away by Courtois with Ashour getting his follow-up effort all wrong.

The match became stretched as both sides came close on a couple of occasions, including a screaming left-footed volley by Belgian captain Youri Tielemans.

With 65 minutes gone, Rudi Garcia decided to send on Lukaku.

The change immediately paid dividends as Belgium's all-time top goalscorer showed his predatory instincts to dash in on a Thomas Meunier cross, with his presence enough to destabilize Hany who put through his own net.

Salah departed the field with 15 minutes remaining as Egypt sought to shut up shop and ultimately held out for a point.

حقق منتخب أستراليا فوزا على نظيره التركي بهدفين من دون رد في المباراة التي جمعتهما اليوم الأحد على ملعب (بي سي بليس) في فانكوفر ضمن منافسات المجموعة الرابعة من بطولة كأس العالم لكرة القدم 2026.

وشهد الشوط الأول تقدما نسبيا للمنتخب الأسترالي من حيث التنظيم والضغط الهجومي أدى إلى إحراز هدف مبكر حمل توقيع اللاعب نيستوري إيرانكوندا في الدقيقة 27 بعد هجمة سريعة أنهاها بتسديدة داخل منطقة الجزاء مانحا فريقه أفضلية مبكرة أربكت الحسابات التركية.

وواصل المنتخب الأسترالي تفوقه في الشوط الثاني من خلال انضباط دفاعي واستغلال المساحات قبل أن يعزز تقدمه بهدف ثان أحرزه كونور ميتكالف في الدقيقة 75 بتسديدة قوية من خارج منطقة الجزاء.

في المقابل كثف المنتخب التركي محاولاته الهجومية في الدقائق الأخيرة إلا أن الصلابة الدفاعية الأسترالية وتألق حارس المرمى حالا دون تقليص الفارق لتنتهي المباراة بفوز أستراليا بهدفين دون رد.

وبهذه النتيجة حصد المنتخب الأسترالي ثلاث نقاط في بداية مشواره بالمجموعة فيما بقي المنتخب التركي من دون نقاط.

The post أستراليا تتغلب على تركيا بهدفين نظيفين في مستهل مشوارهما بكأس العالم 2026 appeared first on كويت نيوز.

Doha, Qatar: “It’s coming home.” Since the release of the Three Lions ahead of Euro 96, the phrase has become far more than a football song.

It is England’s annual declaration of faith, a slogan that returns before every major tournament regardless of what happened before. Semi-final defeats, penalty shootout heartbreaks, near misses have all failed to kill the dream.

Now, as the 2026 FIFA World Cup begins across North America, the familiar question echoes once more across England.

Is it finally coming home?

The answer rests in the hands of a foreign manager. Thomas Tuchel was appointed for one and only reason and that is to win them a major title.

England have spent decades assembling squads packed with superstars. From the golden generation of David Beckham, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Wayne Rooney to the modern era led by Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka, talent has never been the issue. The challenge has always been turning that abundance of talent into silverware on the international stage.

That burden now belongs to Tuchel. The German arrives with a reputation as one of football’s sharpest tactical minds and a coach who thrives in knockout football. England’s Football Association effectively made a statement with his appointment: the time for learning is over. Results matter now.

Across friendlies and competitive fixtures, Tuchel has guided England to an impressive record, winning 10 of his 13 matches, drawing once and losing twice, giving him a win rate close to 80%. Under his leadership, England also became the first European team to secure qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup,England's German head coach Thomas Tuchel sits on a ball during a training session. PICS: AFP

Tuchel believes his squad is ready for the challenge. Following England’s final World Cup warm-up 3 - 0 victory over Costa Rica, he declared that he had “wished for that” level of intensity and commitment from his players, praising the team’s readiness ahead of the tournament.

At the centre of everything stands Harry Kane. The England captain arrives at the World Cup in arguably the finest form of his career. After another prolific season with Bayern Munich, Kane enters the tournament as England’s leader and primary source of goals. Tuchel recently described his captain as “sharp” and in “perfect form” to lead the national team in North America.

Kane himself has made clear what this tournament means. “The World Cup is the pinnacle of a professional footballer’s career,” he said ahead of the competition. For a player who has already become England’s all-time leading scorer, only one achievement remains missing as a captain to lift an international trophy.

Even before a ball was kicked, Tuchel’s squad selection sparked debate. The omission of several high-profile names raised eyebrows among supporters and pundits, while questions remain over the balance of the team and the roles of some of England’s biggest stars.

For years England have often looked stronger on paper than on the pitch. The nation’s history is filled with examples of superstar names failing to reproduce club form on the biggest international stages.

Tuchel’s approach is different, rather than collecting stars, he appears determined to build balance. Which could prove crucial when England encounter elite opposition. That is the challenge awaiting England if they are to lift the trophy for the first time since 1966.

The encouraging sign is that this squad feels different. It blends youth and experience, with Kobbie Mainoo, Anthony Gordon, Morgan Rogers, Noni Madueke, Elliot Anderson, Tino Livramento, Jarell Quansah and James Trafford among those set for their first World Cup, while the core remains built around Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Marcus Rashford, John Stones, Jordan Pickford and Reece James. Around them, Tuchel has assembled a group that appears more balanced than many of its predecessors.

With Kane leading from the front and Tuchel attempting to bring order to a nation blessed and burdened by talent in equal measure, England head into 2026 carrying the hopes of millions, and the dream that began in 1966 remains alive.

The question is the same as it has always been: has England finally got it right? And could football really be coming home?