Trash-cleaning fans from Japan have everyone impressed at FIFA World Cup
Japan opened its 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with a 2-2 draw against the Netherlands on Sunday in Dallas, but it was what happened after the final whistle that stole the spotlight.
After cheering on their national team for 90 minutes, thousands of Japanese supporters stayed behind to help clean the stadium.
Fans brought blue plastic bags to wave and cheer during the match, and then used them to collect the trash left behind afterward. It’s a tradition of respect for the hosts that started when Japan first qualified for the FIFA World Cup in 1998.
The concept is simple: leave the stadium cleaner than you found it.
Current Fox Sports FIFA World Cup correspondent and NFL quarterback Jameis Winston even joined in on the cleanup, holding a blue trash bag while wearing a Japan national team jersey.
Japan fans clean up after the game with the help of @Jaboowins! pic.twitter.com/JufyGy3Yn2
ā FOX 4 NEWS (@FOX4) June 14, 2026
The tournament’s most wholesome tradition isnāt just limited to the stands.
According to photos shared on social media, the Japanese players also left their locker room in immaculate condition, with used towels neatly folded, garbage bagged, and every player stall spotless.
One Japanese fan was asked by a FIFA official why the team’s supporters do this.
“That’s our culture. It’s respect for everything: the players, supporters and the stadium,” the fan said. “We are honoured to be here, so we don’t want to make a mess and then leave it.”
The reason Japan fans clean the stadium after each game. Respect. š¤šÆšµ pic.twitter.com/o9qJUOLefY
ā FIFA (@FIFAcom) June 15, 2026
In Japan, cleanliness is often viewed as a shared responsibility. Littering is strongly discouraged and considered a form of meiwaku ā a social concept centred around avoiding doing things that could create discomfort for others.
It’s among the reasons why Japan is often regarded as one of the cleanest places to visit in the world, despite not having trash bins placed on every street. The streets and public spaces stay spotless, since it is routine for Japanese people to take their garbage back home with them.
The Japanese national team and its supporters will now head to Monterrey, Mexico, for their next Group F match against Tunisia on June 20 before returning to Dallas for their final group-stage game against Sweden on June 25.
We’re sure the stadium staff in Dallas will be more than happy to welcome them back.