Following the final whistle during a World Cup match between the Netherlands and Japan on Sunday, Japanese fans immediately got to work—not finding a place to keep the party going, but by cleaning up trash in the Dallas Stadium.

In footage shared by FIFA and seen more than 6.3 million times, fans were seen collecting trash from the stands and placing it into bags long after Japan’s 2–2 draw with the Netherlands on Sunday, June 14.

One supporter in the video explained the motivation behind the gesture.

“It’s the culture, but it's like a respect for everything—respect for the players, supporters, and also for the stadium,” she said. “We are kind of honored to be here, so we don't want to make the mess and then leave it.”

A Familiar Tradition on the Global Stage

Japanese fans have gained international attention in recent tournaments for similar acts, often staying behind after matches to clean their section of the stadium.

The scenes in Dallas echo behavior seen at previous events, including a friendly in England’s Wembley Stadium earlier this year, where supporters were widely praised for leaving venues spotless.

A Tournament Built on Massive Scale—With Trash to Match

The moment also highlights the sheer scale of waste generated during the World Cup, one of the largest sporting events in the world.

The 2026 tournament—spanning the U.S., Canada and Mexico—is expected to draw 6 to 8 million fans across 104 matches.

Estimating that each fan will produce around 0.6 to 0.8 pounds of waste, including cups (especially since FIFA banned refillable water bottles in stadiums), food containers, programs, merchandise packaging and more, this would leave the overall World Cup waste at around 4 to 5 million pounds.

Individual host cities are also bracing for the impact. In Miami, for example, officials have warned that World Cup matches and related events could produce more than half a million pounds of trash across just seven games.

How Organizers Plan to Handle It

FIFA and local organizers have emphasized that waste reduction and sustainability are central to planning for the 2026 tournament.

In Dallas—where the stadium can hold more than 70,000 fans and will host nine matches, more than any other city—officials say a comprehensive waste management program is being implemented.

This includes expanded recycling and composting, efforts to reduce single-use plastics and public awareness campaigns to encourage fans to sort waste.

At previous tournaments, similar efforts have already been put to the test. During the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, around 80 percent of stadium waste was recycled or composted, with thousands of tons processed through sorting systems.