Japan's national football team have reportedly changed their training base in Mexico during preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after expressing concerns about the facilities initially selected for the squad, İdman.Biz reports.
According to TUDN, the Asian side had originally planned to use Tigres' training centre in Monterrey as their base camp. However, the Japanese delegation was reportedly dissatisfied with the conditions at the facility, particularly the quality of the playing surface, and decided to look for an alternative venue.
The team initially opted to train at a pitch belonging to the Sports Medicine Faculty of the Autonomous University of Nuevo León (UANL). Preparations were later moved to El Barrial, the training complex of Monterrey FC, commonly known as Rayados. The facility is among the official training bases approved by FIFA for the 2026 World Cup.
Japan enter the tournament with high expectations after consistently establishing themselves as one of Asia's strongest national teams in recent World Cup cycles. The Samurai Blue reached the knockout stage in both the 2018 and 2022 editions and will be aiming for another deep run in North America.
At the 2026 World Cup, Japan have been drawn into a group featuring the Netherlands, Tunisia and Sweden. Their campaign will begin with a challenging opening match against the Dutch national team.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place from 11 June to 19 July across the United States, Canada and Mexico and will be the first edition of the tournament to feature 48 teams.
