![[Reuters]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/06/15/news-p.v1.20260615.994f200693954bf490a9637864aed487_P1.jpg)
Japanese soccer fans who attended their team's Group F opener against the Netherlands at the 2026 FIFA World Cup have drawn widespread attention for tidying up the stadium after the match — and one fan's remark about respecting the players has gone viral.
FIFA shared an interview with a Japanese fan on its official social media accounts Monday, writing: "The reason Japan fans clean the stadium after every game. We respect it."
In the video, the fan said the practice was rooted in culture and a broader sense of respect. "This is our culture and at the same time respect for everything," the fan said. "Respect for the players, the supporters and the stadium itself."
"We feel honored to be here, so we don't want to leave trash behind," the fan said. "That is why we clean up."
![[AFP]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/06/15/news-p.v1.20260615.81b626d319d64f459a0abd3494cad317_P1.jpg)
Another fan told Singapore's The Straits Times that cleaning up was a point of national pride. "It is a Japanese pride to show gratitude to Dallas and the people here for letting us watch the game in a clean stadium, and to show our love for soccer — particularly for the Japan team," the fan said. "The Japan national team is working so hard, so we want to help by doing our part."
A third fan described the habit as second nature. "We want to keep everything clean so that when we come back, we feel good and safe," the fan said. "It's a kind of our culture. Wherever we go, we just try our best to clean up and keep things tidy, to make not only ourselves but others feel good too."
Yet another fan pointed to upbringing. "In Japan, we learn how to clean at school," the fan said. "So for me, tidying up around me is just a natural thing to do."
![[AFP]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/06/15/news-p.v1.20260615.1cad8b0bd7134305baf5381a39bb5b49_P1.jpg)
Online viewers responded warmly to the interviews. "I admire Japanese culture — they set an example," one commenter wrote. Others noted that "there is a lot to learn from Japanese culture," that "the Japan team didn't receive a single yellow card," and that "it's something they've done since childhood — it's a matter of education and respect, not something you're born with."
Japan drew 2-2 with the Netherlands in the group-stage match held Monday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
After the final whistle, Japanese fans distributed blue garbage bags and picked up litter from under their seats — a scene that resonated with audiences around the world.
The FIFA post drew nearly 400,000 likes and roughly 5,000 comments within seven hours of being published.
The Japanese national team's locker room also attracted attention. Players neatly folded and stacked their clothes and towels before leaving and cleared away all trash. Foreign media noted the team's "leave no trace" ethos and reported that fans have embraced the same practice since the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
ygmoon@heraldcorp.com
