Japanese sports media Nikkan Sports reported on the 18th that the Japan Football Association is promoting a friendly match for the adult national team on December 31, 2023, the day before January 1, 2024. 스포츠토토핫 The stadium is the Tokyo National Stadium. Kozo Kelp, president of the Japan Football Association, is coordinating the opposing team. It is the first time in history that the Japanese national team’s game will be held on New Year’s Eve, he reported.
Every year, January 1st was the day when the finals of the Japanese Emperor’s Cup (FA Cup) were held. However, it was different in the past two years when the COVID-19 pandemic occurred. JFA actively accepted the request for rest on January 1 of the Japan Football Association, moving the Japanese King’s Cup final to December 18, 2021 and October 16, 2022, respectively. In particular, Japan will participate in the Qatar Asian Cup from January 12 next year. So, I decided to move the Japanese king’s boat to December 9 again this year.
Nikkan Sports said, As the first day of the new year has disappeared for three consecutive years, JFA is adjusting its plan to hold an A-match to strengthen the Japanese national team under the surface.
In the meantime, as the Japanese Emperor’s schedule was adjusted, the final of the All-Japan University Football Championship filled the place. It was also popular. Last year’s final drew 12,841 spectators. So, on the first day of next year, he was scheduled to play the final of the All-Japan University Football Championship. However, the JFA moved the match to December 24 and changed it to a senior national team match every year to further highlight the symbolic significance of the match on January 1.
The Japanese national team, led by head coach Moriyasu Hajime, is scheduled to start camp in December to win the Qatar Asian Cup. If it is completed on December 31, it is likely to be a mock test in preparation for the Qatar Asian Cup. However, it is not an A match period that appears on the FIFA calendar. The possibility of European players being called cannot be ruled out as the game day coincides with the winter break of the European leagues such as Germany, France, the Netherlands and Belgium.