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The World Cup has arrived.
Over three years after Lionel Messi and Argentina defeated France to win the 2022 tournament in Qatar, the 2026 World Cup begins on June 11. The tournament, which will run until July 19 in cities across the United States, Canada and Mexico, is the first to feature 48 teams, up from the 32 that competed at the last seven editions.
While Nashville won't be hosting any games during the World Cup, the city will be home to the Japan national team this summer. Japan will reside in Music City and train at Nashville SC's practice facility for the duration of their World Cup run.
Here's what to know about the 2026 FIFA World Cup and Japan's presence in Nashville.
MORE: Japan national soccer team arrives, calls Nashville home during World Cup
Each national team in the World Cup has a base camp, or a city where they'll stay in between matches. Teams picked their base camps based on a number of factors, placing their own degree of importance on proximity to their matches, amenities, privacy, community support or climate.
Japan has strong economic ties to Nashville. Japanese tire manufacturer Bridgestone is one of the city's largest employers, having purchased its first North American plant in Nashville in 1983. Nissan has its North American corporate headquarters in Franklin, and the automaker operates one of its three United States plants in Smyrna.
Nashville has also been also home to a Consulate-General of Japan since 2007. Japan moved its consulate to Nashville from New Orleans largely due to the increased presence of Japanese companies in Tennessee.
By staying in Nashville, Japan won't have to travel too far: its group-stage games are in Texas and Monterrey, Mexico. The hot, humid weather in Tennessee should also help the team acclimate to this summer's conditions.
Japan is in Group F with the Netherlands, Sweden and Tunisia. It will face the Netherlands in Arlington, Texas on June 14, Tunisia in Guadalupe, Mexico on June 20 and Sweden on June 25 in Arlington.
Japan will look to advance from the group stage as one of the top two teams in the group or one of the highest-ranked third-place teams. The knockout stage will consist of 32 teams in a five-round single-elimination tournament culminating in the final on July 19.
Japan isn't among the main favorites to win the World Cup. Spain, France, England, Portugal and Brazil are the five teams with the best odds going into the tournament, per BetMGM.
Still, Japan has high expectations. Samurai Blue have qualified for every World Cup since 1998 and reached the round of 16 in 2018 and 2022, losing to Belgium on a last-minute goal eight years ago and falling to Croatia on penalties four years ago. The team is No. 18 in the current FIFA World Rankings and hopes to achieve a pair of firsts: win a knockout-stage game and qualify for the quarterfinals and possibly beyond.
Per BetMGM, Japan is tied with the United States for the 13th-best odds to win the World Cup at +5000.
Samurai Blue is the nickname of the Japanese national team. The Japanese Football Association officially selected the nickname prior to the 2006 World Cup. Blue refers to the color of Japan's jerseys.
Japan has a number of talented attacking players. Striker Ayase Ueda plays for Feyenoord in the Netherlands, where he was the country's top goalscorer this season. Takefusa Kubo, a winger who plays for Real Sociedad, has been nicknamed the "Japanese Messi." Eintracht Frankfurt's Ritsu Dōan led the team in scoring at the last World Cup.
Team captain Wataru Endo is a midfielder for Liverpool, and defender Hiroki Itō plays for Bayern Munich. Goalkeeper Zion Suzuki, who plays for Parma, has been linked to Premier League club Aston Villa.
Quite a few, and and they've already taken to the city.
Japan arrived in Nashville on June 8 after five days of training in Monterrey. They were greeted by fans at Geodis Park for an hour-long open training session that day, signing autographs for them afterwards.
A large contingent of media and fans have also set up shop. Journalist Mai Kosugi wrote on X that a pair of boots are "officially at the top of my shopping list." Several have posted themselves enjoying Nashville staples such at hot chicken and Goo Goo Clusters, and exploring Broadway.
East Nashville Beer Works is hosting a watch party for Japan's opening game against the Netherlands at 3 p.m. on June 14. The party is being hosted by the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program Alumni Association.
The World Cup begins on June 11 with the first game, between Mexico and South Africa, set to kick off at 2 p.m. CT in Mexico City.
Jacob Shames can be reached by email at [email protected] and on X/Twitter @Jacob_Shames.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Japan in Nashville for World Cup, here's what to know
Continue reading...
Over three years after Lionel Messi and Argentina defeated France to win the 2022 tournament in Qatar, the 2026 World Cup begins on June 11. The tournament, which will run until July 19 in cities across the United States, Canada and Mexico, is the first to feature 48 teams, up from the 32 that competed at the last seven editions.
While Nashville won't be hosting any games during the World Cup, the city will be home to the Japan national team this summer. Japan will reside in Music City and train at Nashville SC's practice facility for the duration of their World Cup run.
Here's what to know about the 2026 FIFA World Cup and Japan's presence in Nashville.
MORE: Japan national soccer team arrives, calls Nashville home during World Cup
Why is Japan in Nashville?
Each national team in the World Cup has a base camp, or a city where they'll stay in between matches. Teams picked their base camps based on a number of factors, placing their own degree of importance on proximity to their matches, amenities, privacy, community support or climate.
Japan has strong economic ties to Nashville. Japanese tire manufacturer Bridgestone is one of the city's largest employers, having purchased its first North American plant in Nashville in 1983. Nissan has its North American corporate headquarters in Franklin, and the automaker operates one of its three United States plants in Smyrna.
Nashville has also been also home to a Consulate-General of Japan since 2007. Japan moved its consulate to Nashville from New Orleans largely due to the increased presence of Japanese companies in Tennessee.
By staying in Nashville, Japan won't have to travel too far: its group-stage games are in Texas and Monterrey, Mexico. The hot, humid weather in Tennessee should also help the team acclimate to this summer's conditions.
When does Japan play?
Japan is in Group F with the Netherlands, Sweden and Tunisia. It will face the Netherlands in Arlington, Texas on June 14, Tunisia in Guadalupe, Mexico on June 20 and Sweden on June 25 in Arlington.
Japan will look to advance from the group stage as one of the top two teams in the group or one of the highest-ranked third-place teams. The knockout stage will consist of 32 teams in a five-round single-elimination tournament culminating in the final on July 19.
How good is Japan?
Japan isn't among the main favorites to win the World Cup. Spain, France, England, Portugal and Brazil are the five teams with the best odds going into the tournament, per BetMGM.
Still, Japan has high expectations. Samurai Blue have qualified for every World Cup since 1998 and reached the round of 16 in 2018 and 2022, losing to Belgium on a last-minute goal eight years ago and falling to Croatia on penalties four years ago. The team is No. 18 in the current FIFA World Rankings and hopes to achieve a pair of firsts: win a knockout-stage game and qualify for the quarterfinals and possibly beyond.
Per BetMGM, Japan is tied with the United States for the 13th-best odds to win the World Cup at +5000.
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Who are the Samurai Blue?
Samurai Blue is the nickname of the Japanese national team. The Japanese Football Association officially selected the nickname prior to the 2006 World Cup. Blue refers to the color of Japan's jerseys.
Who are Japan's best players?
Japan has a number of talented attacking players. Striker Ayase Ueda plays for Feyenoord in the Netherlands, where he was the country's top goalscorer this season. Takefusa Kubo, a winger who plays for Real Sociedad, has been nicknamed the "Japanese Messi." Eintracht Frankfurt's Ritsu Dōan led the team in scoring at the last World Cup.
Team captain Wataru Endo is a midfielder for Liverpool, and defender Hiroki Itō plays for Bayern Munich. Goalkeeper Zion Suzuki, who plays for Parma, has been linked to Premier League club Aston Villa.
Are Japanese fans staying in Nashville too?
Quite a few, and and they've already taken to the city.
Japan arrived in Nashville on June 8 after five days of training in Monterrey. They were greeted by fans at Geodis Park for an hour-long open training session that day, signing autographs for them afterwards.
A large contingent of media and fans have also set up shop. Journalist Mai Kosugi wrote on X that a pair of boots are "officially at the top of my shopping list." Several have posted themselves enjoying Nashville staples such at hot chicken and Goo Goo Clusters, and exploring Broadway.
East Nashville Beer Works is hosting a watch party for Japan's opening game against the Netherlands at 3 p.m. on June 14. The party is being hosted by the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program Alumni Association.
When does the World Cup start?
The World Cup begins on June 11 with the first game, between Mexico and South Africa, set to kick off at 2 p.m. CT in Mexico City.
Jacob Shames can be reached by email at [email protected] and on X/Twitter @Jacob_Shames.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Japan in Nashville for World Cup, here's what to know
Continue reading...
