Japanese fans go viral for cleaning entire stadium after World Cup match in Texas. Why do they do so?

Fans of Japan’s national team, known as the “Samurai Blue,” were seen cleaning up a stadium in Texas after a recent match, picking up bottles, food wrappers, and other litter left in the stands once the game had ended.

A similar act of post-match cleaning by Japanese fans had previously gained global attention during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where supporters were widely praised for their discipline and respect for public spaces.

The latest encounter, reportedly between the Netherlands and Japan, ended in a thrilling 2-2 draw.

According to reports, Japan first competed in the FIFA World Cup in 1998 in France, and since then, the tradition of cleaning stadiums after matches has been consistently observed by its supporters at major international tournaments.

Football journalist Scott McIntyre previously told the BBC after the 2018 World Cup that the behaviour goes beyond sport culture, describing it as an extension of broader Japanese social values.

“It’s not just part of football culture but part of Japanese culture,” McIntyre said.

Scott North, professor of sociology at Osaka University, also told the BBC that such practices reflect early-life habits, noting that schoolchildren in Japan are taught to clean their classrooms and hallways as part of daily routine.