By Barbara Mizoguchi
NAP Editor
2025 FIFA Club World Cup™ Trophy. Photo credit: FIFA Club World Cup™.
Readers might recall the December 13, 2024, NAP issue about the upcoming Federation of Internationale de Football (soccer) Association (FIFA) World Cup™ coming to Seattle, Washington in 2026. It is the largest sporting event that occurs every four years with five and a half billion fans watching, compared to 175 million who watch the Super Bowl American football game.
The FIFA Club World Cup™ is a newly revised 32-team mega tournament that will now occur every four years the summer prior to the World Cup™. They are the best teams from around the world playing a total of 63 matches (games) in 12 U.S. cities across the country. This year, six of those matches will be in Seattle starting this June. Three of them will be with our beloved Seattle Sounders and two will be with Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds.
The Urawa Reds was founded in Kobe, Japan in 1950 as a company team called the Central Japan Heavy Industries, Limited. Later, the team and company moved to Tokyo, changed their name to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Limited, and became a powerhouse in soccer. By 1965, the J-League (Japan Soccer League) was developed with four of the Mitsubishi players and won a 1968 Olympic Games bronze medal in Mexico. The team continued winning, which made soccer popular in Japan. By the 1990s, the team colors changed from blue to red and became the Urawa Red Diamonds with sell-out crowds in their home stadium.
The Urawa Reds’ home base is Saitama Stadium 2002. It holds 63,700 seats and was built for the 2002 FIFA World Cup™. It is the largest stadium in Japan and Asia, and is in Saitama (city), Saitama prefecture. It is located north of Tokyo and incorporates the former cities of Urawa, Ōmiya, Yono and Iwatsuki.
By 1995, the Urawa Reds finished fourth in the overall soccer standings. In 2003, they won their first ever J. League title sponsored by the Yamazaki Nabisco Company and again in 2016. The team also won the Emperor’s Cup In 2005, 2006, 2018, and 2021. In 2017, the Reds won the AFC (Asian Football Confederation) and Suruga Bank Championship; and in 2022 they won the Fujifilm Super Cup.
Satomi Tanekura, writer for Soy Source newspaper, obtained the following quotes:
Shusaku Nishikawa, Urawa Reds’ goal keeper said, “… We are extremely proud to represent Asia at this global competition against some ofthe world’s strongest clubs. I hold deep personal significance for this tournament, and we have been preparing diligently to achieve victory. Our aim is to win each match, secure victories, and etch the name of Urawa Reds into global soccer history. Many of you may not be familiar with Urawa Reds yet, but we would be delighted if you come to the stadium, watch our performance, and experience Urawa Reds soccer firsthand. Your support is greatly appreciated!”
Keita Suzuki, former Japan national team member and Urawa Reds player said, “When I participated in my first FIFA Club World Cup™ in 2007, playing seriously against Europe’s top club(s) was a dream-like experience. Now, with the tournament expanding to 32 teams, it has grown into a world-class event comparable to the FIFA World Cup™ itself. With diverse soccer styles and players from around the globe, it promises to be a true showcase.”
Makoto Tauchi, president of the Urawa Red Diamonds, said, “We sincerely appreciate those who planned and realized this wonderful tournament. We feel honored to participate in the FIFA Club World Cup™, representing Asia and Japan. Our supporters are renowned worldwide, and we have heard that around 5,000 fans will travel from Japan to the U.S. We will give everything we have to secure as many victories as possible.”
The opening match will be June 14 in Miami, Florida and the final match will be July 13 in New York/New Jersey. The line-up for Lumen Field in Seattle will be:
Sunday, June 15: Sounders vs. Botafogo
Tuesday, June 17: Urawa Reds vs. CA River Plate
Thursday, June 19: Sounders vs. Atletico Madrid
Saturday, June 21: Urawa Reds vs. Internazionale Milano
Monday, June 23: Sounders vs. Paris Saint-Germain
Wednesday, June 25: Internazionale Milano vs. CA River Plates
To purchase tickets and hospitality packages, see: FIFA.com/tickets. All matches will be streamed live and free at: https://www.dazn.com/en-US/competition/Competition:dc4k1xh2984zbypbnunk7ncic.
