Ahead of their FIFA World Cup match against Sweden, Japan soccer supporters throw each other into the air during a rally at Harwood Park in downtown Dallas, June 24, 2026.
Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News
Ahead of their FIFA World Cup match against Sweden, Japan soccer supporters rally at Harwood Park in downtown Dallas, June 24, 2026.
Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News
Ahead of their FIFA World Cup match against Sweden, Japan soccer supporters rally at Harwood Park in downtown Dallas, June 24, 2026.
Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News
Ahead of their FIFA World Cup match against Sweden, Japan soccer supporters throw each other into the air during a rally at Harwood Park in downtown Dallas, June 24, 2026.
Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News
A young fan fans herself as temperatures during a Japan soccer rally were hot at Harwood Park in downtown Dallas, June 24, 2026.
Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News
Ahead of their FIFA World Cup match against Sweden, Japan soccer supporters rally at Harwood Park in downtown Dallas, June 24, 2026.
Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News
Chants, drums and blue jerseys filled Harwood Park on Wednesday as Japan supporters turned a corner of downtown Dallas into a sea of blue ahead of the national team’s pivotal World Cup match against Sweden.
The “Paint Dallas Blue” celebration, organized by Downtown Dallas Inc. and Japan Ultras Nippon, brought together fans from North Texas and beyond a day before Japan’s crucial Group F match at Dallas Stadium, the temporary name of Arlington’s AT&T Stadium during World Cup games.
Supporters waved Japanese flags, wore blue jerseys and chanted along with the steady rhythm of drums, creating an energetic show of national pride far from home. Japan Ultras Nippon, a booster group known for leading chants and drumbeats at Japan matches, set the tone as fans posed for photos and soaked in the atmosphere.
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Ahead of their FIFA World Cup match against Sweden, Japan soccer supporters rally at Harwood Park in downtown Dallas, June 24, 2026.
Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News
Among them was Yuto Sato, a Japanese student from Erie, Pennsylvania, who attends Gannon University and traveled to Dallas to support Japan.
For Sato, the trip was about more than the standings. It was a chance to see his country compete on soccer’s biggest stage.
“I’m so proud of the Japanese team,” Sato said. “I’m so proud of our culture.”
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Japan entered Thursday’s match unbeaten in Group F, with four points from a 2-2 draw against the Netherlands and a 4-0 win over Tunisia.
The match against Sweden carries major stakes: Japan, with four points and a plus-four goal difference, can put itself in strong position to reach the knockout stage with a win or draw. Sweden, with three points, needs a victory to keep its hopes of automatic advancement alive.
Tomo Naruse, who traveled from Singapore for the tournament, said he felt the weight of the occasion.
Ahead of their FIFA World Cup match against Sweden, Japan soccer supporters rally at Harwood Park in downtown Dallas, June 24, 2026.
Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News
“This match against Sweden is the most important one,” Naruse said. “If Japan wins, we are almost surely through to the knockout stage. We can feel the pressure, but also the excitement.”
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Naruse, who works in accounting, said Dallas has left an impression beyond soccer.
“I love the food,” he said, calling a T-bone steak one of the highlights of his trip.
He wore a blue sombrero to help handle the Texas heat and said he was impressed by the turnout at downtown’s Harwood Park.
“I’m happy to see so much support for Japan,” Naruse said.
This is Naruse’s fifth World Cup, yet he said the scene in Dallas still stood out. Thousands of miles from Japan, the sea of blue made the gathering feel almost like a home match.
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Sato, experiencing his first World Cup, has already attended two Japan games and planned to be at Thursday’s match in Arlington. The first time he saw Japan play in the tournament, he said the emotion nearly overwhelmed him.
“I feel like almost I’m crying,” he said.
Ahead of their FIFA World Cup match against Sweden, Japan soccer supporters throw each other into the air during a rally at Harwood Park in downtown Dallas, June 24, 2026.
Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News
Sato arrived in Dallas on June 11 and plans to stay until July 20. He said his first visit to the city has left a strong impression, despite the traffic and heat.
“Traffic is crazy,” he said. “Also, it’s hot.”
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But he added: “I met many good people. I should come back here.”
Japan fans have earned global attention at past World Cups for cleaning up after matches, and Sato said the tradition is part of what makes him proud.
“After the game, everybody picks up trash,” he said.
As drums echoed through Harwood Park and blue jerseys dotted the lawn, the gathering offered a preview of the passionate atmosphere expected Thursday night in Arlington.
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Sato said he believes Japan can keep going.
“They can do it,” he said. “I believe in the team.”