Japan's soccer team finishes Mexico camp, heads to U.S. for World Cup amid facility controversies

Japan's national soccer team, the 'Samurai Blue,' has wrapped up its preparation phase in Mexico and is now in the United States for the 2026 World Cup. Their week-long stay in Monterrey was marked by some controversies, particularly concerning their choice of training grounds.

The team initially faced criticism for training at the facilities of Rayados de Monterrey instead of Tigres. Further issues arose when their first practice session at the Faculty of Medicine of the Autonomous University of Nuevo León (UANL) was met with complaints about the field's condition. Real Sociedad player Takefusa Kubo commented, "The field where we trained yesterday was not at a World Cup level."

Following these observations, Japan's team relocated their practices to El Barrial, the training center used by Rayados de Monterrey. Despite these logistical challenges, the team successfully completed its preparation. Japanese officials and directors saw them off in San Pedro Garza García before their departure to the U.S. Japan's World Cup Group F schedule includes matches against the Netherlands on June 14 in Arlington, Texas, Tunisia on June 20 in Monterrey, Mexico, and Sweden on June 25, also in Arlington.

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El campo en el que entrenamos ayer no estaba a nivel de un Mundial