May 9 – VfB Stuttgart will play their pre-season in Japan as the latest German club to take part in the Bundesliga Japan Tour series jointly organised between the DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga and SKY PerfecTV! – the broadcast partner of the Bundesliga in Japan.
The club, who have secured UEFA Champions League qualification for next season, are the third team to take part in the Japan Tour series, following Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022 and FC Bayern München in 2023.
Sebastian Hoeneß’ side will play Kyoto Sanga FC and Sanfrecce Hiroshima on a whirlwind trip, which begins on the July 26 and concludes on August 2.
Stuttgart have strong Japanese connections with three Japanese players on the current roster and previously has Japan captain Wataru Endo and Gotoku Sakai, who both made over 100 appearances for the club before leaving for Liverpool and Hamburg (Sakai is now with Vissel Kobe).
Bundesliga chief marketing officer Peer Naubert said: “As a club with a long and unique history, and after a fantastic Bundesliga season, VfB Stuttgart’s global fanbase continues to grow around the world, especially in Japan where the club has such a strong relationship.
“Since the Bundesliga Japan Tour started in 2022, the reception for Bundesliga clubs has been incredible, with packed stadiums in Tokyo, Osaka and Saitama. This year, the tour will again encompass two new cities, bringing the Bundesliga closer to fans throughout Japan. This is something very important for us as a league, and I am very pleased that we can work with our trusted partner SPTV on bringing this exciting series to life for a third time in just two seasons.”
Stuttgart has built a relationship with Japanese fans through activities including football schools, visits by junior teams, media activities and coach training courses. The club said they “are taking the next logical step by playing part of our pre-season preparations in Japan.”
Shizuka Akashi, Group President of SPTV’s Media Business Group, said: “SkyPerfecTV! have been broadcasting the Bundesliga since the 2018/2019 season, and with the understanding and cooperation of the DFL, in the past few years we had invited Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022 and FC Bayern München in 2023 to organise a successful Bundesliga tour in Japan.
“We are very happy to have VfB Stuttgart this year, who will be playing in the cities of Hiroshima and Kyoto, allowing many fans to enjoy the excitement of Bundesliga football. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the DFL for their great efforts. We will do everything we can to make sure that fans will be able to experience all that the Bundesliga has to offer and very much look forward to welcoming all German football fans to Japan.”
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1716193739labto1716193739ofdlr1716193739owedi1716193739sni@g1716193739niwe.1716193739yrrah1716193739