Today, the day before the tournament, we had a light training session and a delegates' meeting in the morning, and training and a welcome reception in the afternoon.
We gathered before breakfast at 7:30 AM for a group exercise, then walked to the dining hall.
The facility behind the players is the apartment building where all participating teams are staying for this tournament.
There are six apartment buildings, operated as a dormitory for players of Zhongnan Codion Football Club, the tournament's host team.
According to staff, children aged 7 to 18 live there away from their families. In addition to a soccer field, the facility also includes a school, medical clinic, cafeteria, bank, and supermarket.
At the delegates' meeting, which started at 9:30 AM, we confirmed the regulations for this tournament.
Tournament Draw (16 teams)
Group A: China National Team A (China), ZhongNan Codion FC (China), Thai OAZ Football Academy (Thailand), Korona Kielce (Poland)
Group B: Pyongyang International Football School (North Korea), China Nantong Sports School (China), FSV Frankfurt (Germany), Yanbian Beiguo SC (China)
Group C: Kashima Antlers (Japan), Imran Soccer Academy (Indonesia), Granada CF (Spain), China Jiangyin Middle School (China)
Group D: Cruzeiro (Brazil), Dalian Yifang Football Club (China), Johor Darul Ta'zim (Malaysia), Korea Musan Middle School (Korea)
・Match duration: 30 minutes per half
・Up to 5 substitutions, but limited to 3 substitution opportunities (excluding halftime)
・The top two teams from the qualifying league advance to the knockout stage
・In case of a tie in the knockout stage, a penalty shootout will be held without extra time
Kashima Antlers Match Schedule
Qualifying League
April 21
Match 1: 2:30 PM vs China Jiangyin Middle School (China)
April 22
Match 2: 10:00 AM vs Granada CF (Spain)
Match 3: 4:00 PM vs Imran Soccer Academy (Indonesia)
Coach Morishima presented a uniform to the owner of the host team. The club owner reportedly runs a factory that makes clothes for Japanese companies.
From 10 AM, the players did some light running at the match venue and practiced their performance for the welcome reception.
Today's weather is sunny, with temperatures slightly higher than in Japan this time of year, and it's humid, but overall comfortable.
After the morning training, we moved to the dining hall for lunch at 12 PM.
In the afternoon, each participating team was allotted training time, and Antlers had an hour of training starting at 2 PM. As it was the day before the match, after warming up, we practiced possession training and confirmed set pieces.
From 5 PM, all players and staff participated in the welcome reception, an official tournament event, at the dining hall.
All 16 teams showcased performances on stage, energizing the venue with songs and dances that highlighted the unique characteristics of each country and club. Antlers, appearing 12th, enthusiastically sang and danced to Pikotaro's "PPAP."
Players and staff from other teams also laughed and danced along, making it a huge success.
After the welcome party, each player recorded their reflections on the day in a journal, concluding today's activities.
Tomorrow, we will attend the opening ceremony starting at 8:30 AM, followed by the first qualifying league match with a 2:30 PM kickoff.