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Japan’s national team changed practice venues in Monterrey ahead of the World Cup after players found an uneven, dirt-stained pitch at their original training ground.
The Japanese delegation said it moved from the facilities of Liga MX club Tigres UANL, site of Wednesday’s practice, to El Barrial, the training ground of Rayados de Monterrey, the Tigres’ biggest rivals.
The delegation did not specify why it moved. Training is scheduled for Thursday afternoon.
Japan held its first training session at the Autonomous University of Nuevo León (UANL) in Monterrey, Mexico, on June 3, 2026, ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup soccer tournament. (Photo by Julio César AGUILAR/AFP via Getty Images)
The mishap at the location has gone viral on Mexican social networks, generating strong criticism of the UANL Tigres.
Japan opens its World Cup campaign against the Netherlands in Arlington, Texas, on June 14 and then faces Tunisia in Monterrey on June 20 before returning to Texas to play Sweden on June 25.
The Samurai Blue’s official training camp for the World Cup will be in Nashville, Tennessee, where they will arrive on June 8.
