A Lone Star Samurai Blue: World Cup in Dallas

We caught up with the Japanese national team the day before their match at “Jerry World” (aka Dallas Stadium) for the FIFA 2026 World Cup.

After a great Tex-Mex lunch, we were wandering around downtown Dallas, taking in the sights of a city completely caught up in World Cup fever.

When we learned that Team Japan was staying at the W Hotel just a few blocks away, we decided to brave the 90-degree Texas heat and walk over to see what was happening. Our timing couldn’t have been better.

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Police were blocking light Saturday afternoon traffic when we arrived at the corner of Nowitzki Way and Houston Avenue (aptly named for an NBA legend and a hero of the Texas Revolution).

A motorcycle cop turned on his headlights and blared his siren, and then we saw it: a huge bus decked out in blue, bearing the unmistakable red disc of the Land of the Rising Sun.

The bus pulled up W and we headed towards the barrier. A dozen or so Japanese fans were waving and jumping like a J-Pop group had just arrived, shouting the actors’ names as they got off the bus.

They had just returned from their local training base at SMU, but the energy was already electric.

Japan’s 2026 FIFA World Cup team bus arrives in the host city under police guard ahead of tournament activities. (Bryan Preston/Fox News Digital)

Japan is absolutely football crazy, as social media has proven since the start of the tournament. Case in point:

What brought out these deafening cheers long before kick-off?

Live broadcast of the team getting off the bus at the stadium. I’m not warming up, I’m not kicking the ball; I just walk to the locker room.

Japan and the Netherlands were honored at the FIFA World Cup pre-match ceremony, with giant national flags displayed on the field before kick-off. (Bryan Preston/Fox News Digital)

It’s hard not to root for Japan these days. As the country rides an unprecedented wave of global popularity thanks to tourism, food and popular culture, football fans have also risen to the top of the world stage.

They are known to be passionate, extremely friendly and respectful; Whether they win, lose or draw, they embrace American culture as they meticulously clean stadium benches.

Thanks to my family connections, I was caught in the middle of this. Nothing against the Dutch, but as long as the USA isn’t on the field, I’m a Lone Star Samurai Blue.

Japan fans pose for a photo showing their team spirit in front of the FIFA World Cup stadium, wearing face paint, headbands and national team jerseys. (Bryan Preston/Fox News Digital)

My brother-in-law and nephew came from Tokyo to my hometown to watch the match with my son and me. It was their third World Cup but my first.

We checked out all the bases to give them the full Texas experience: homemade and restaurant barbecue, Tex-Mex, Buc-ee’s, and a trip to the gun range. They loved every minute of it.

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We had bought our tickets the day they went on sale, and had placed the seats near the roof of the stadium. But that didn’t matter; There wasn’t a bad seat in the house.

We were surrounded by loyalists and the “ultras” were immediately to our left. No matter what happened on the field, they did not stop chanting slogans “Nippon! Nippon!”

The atmosphere surpassed any sporting event I have personally attended.

Almost everyone was decked out in team colours: Dutch fans were mostly stoic; The Japanese fans were loud, lively and continuing to rock the stadium.

Japan’s ultra fans cheer from the stands, creating a lively atmosphere as they rally behind their team during a FIFA World Cup match. (Bryan Preston/Fox News Digital)

The match started with a very American, rocket-launching style countdown.

But the first half was not explosive.

While the Netherlands dominated the ball, Japan sat back and defended. “Turgid” might be one way to describe it; “cautious” and “strategic” are probably more complimentary. Both teams played exactly as written.

The second half was a completely different story, with action at both ends of the field. The Netherlands struck first, with legendary defender Virgil van Dijk opening the scoring with his trademark header.

Instead of remaining silent, Japanese fans jumped even louder. The players fed off this energy. Just seven minutes later, Japan struck back through Keito Nakamura.

The equalizing goal brought roar after roar from the stands.

In the chaos, I high-fived my family, the family in front of me, the Japanese family to my left, and the family behind me who was accidentally wearing the Netherlands jersey.

Luckily, they didn’t care.

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The Dutch took back the lead in the 64th minute through West Ham’s Crysencio Summerville and the Japanese fans responded by turning up the noise once again. The players stepped up and pushed further up the field.

His reward came in the 89th minute. Japan won a corner and converted it into a great goal with heads from Koki Ogawa and Daichi Kamada.

An exciting 2-2 draw was a perfectly respectable way to start the tournament.

While casual observers might not traditionally group Japan among football’s elite, they surprise no one paying attention.

Japan’s women’s team are already among the global powers with a World Cup trophy to their name, and the men’s team have pulled off some serious giant-killings of late, beating Brazil and top-five England on their way to 2026.

(Not to mention their stunning win over Spain at the 2022 World Cup, which eliminated four-time champions Germany from the tournament).

Fans representing Japan and the Netherlands watch a FIFA World Cup match from a stadium room as fans fill the stands below. (Bryan Preston/Fox News Digital)

The domestic J League has a history of over 30 years and has flourished, while the national team has quietly become a European powerhouse.

The majority of his squad play for top-flight European clubs: defender Takehiro Tomiyasu was a favorite for English giants Arsenal before moving to Ajax; maestro Takefusa Kubo at Real Sociedad; goalkeeper Zion Suzuki is with Parma; Hiroki Ito in Bayern Munich; and Kamada at Crystal Palace.

That’s a lot of elite European experience, and that’s not even all of Japan’s national team talent.

They are incredibly good. They play like a tight team with their technical acumen and vicious counter attacks that can flood the opponent’s half in an instant.

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Will they win it all? Probably not this time. But before their work is done, they will make many giants nervous. Just ask the Dutch.

No matter how far they get in the tournament, one thing is certain: Japan’s fans around the world have prevailed. And they’ll probably leave the stadium cleaner than they found it.

Go Samurai Blue y’all!