Urawa Reds, the Club World Cup, and a Fanbase That Deserves Your Attention

I’ll be honest — I don’t know much about the J.League. Aside from Zico’s legendary run as both a player and a coach, that’s about the extent of my knowledge of Japanese football.

But after watching Urawa Reds compete in the FIFA Club World Cup, and especially hearing their fans bring the noise, I walked away genuinely impressed.

No Stars, No Problem

Urawa didn’t arrive at the Club World Cup with international buzz. No star-studded roster. No flashy transfers. But on the pitch? They delivered.

Their match against Inter Milan showed real guts — defending in waves, staying disciplined, and pushing a Champions League finalist harder than anyone expected. A couple of late errors kept them from an all-time result, but the performance spoke volumes.

Their opener against River Plate didn’t go their way, but they didn’t collapse. Urawa stuck to their style, tried to build when they could, and gave their supporters every reason to keep singing.

J.League Fans: Loud, Loyal, and Next-Level

Last night’s match wasn’t at a tough hour — I was able to watch it. But if I wanted to follow Urawa Reds or the J.League more regularly? That’s where it gets tricky. Most games are just too late in my time zone to catch live.

That said, the fans? Unreal. A sea of red, constant chants, and pure energy. They didn’t just show up — they showed out. And they represented Asian football with pride, passion, and zero pretense.

American fans also impressed with the Urawa Reds fans

I’m Not a Urawa Fan (Yet), But I’m Intrigued

I’m not ready to call myself a Urawa supporter. That wouldn’t be right. But I do want to know more. I want to explore the J.League, understand its clubs, and see what makes its culture so unique.

If the time zones weren’t such a barrier, I’d be all in already.

Massive respect to Urawa Reds, their supporters, and everyone involved in that Club World Cup run. They didn’t just play well — they made people care.

Join the Reserves

J.League fans — reach out. Teach me more. Share your favorite clubs, players, chants, and traditions. I want to dive in and learn.

And if you’re part of Reserves FC, let’s start something around Japanese football. There’s something special here — and more people need to see it.

This isn't a new thing, check out some more of the Urawa supporters

Image: SounderBruce / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons