Japan Football Association (JFA), in partnership with SCO Group Co., Ltd., held the JFA × SCO GROUP “FUTURE CAMP inspired by BLUE LOCK” over four days from Monday 3 August to Thursday 6 August 2026 at Great Park in Irvine, California, USA.

FUTURE CAMP is an initiative aimed at identifying promising players based overseas and developing talent capable of representing Japan across different age groups and competing in the world’s top leagues. The programme provides players with opportunities to develop world-class skills and the player qualities outlined in “Japan’s Way”.

The project was held in collaboration with the popular football anime BLUE LOCK, whose original manga series has surpassed 65 million copies in circulation. Through the collaboration, the camp sought to inspire young players competing around the world to embrace new challenges while providing them with opportunities to explore their potential.

A total of 34 selected players born between 2009 and 2012 took part in the camp, coming from the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia. Under the guidance of JFA coaches dispatched from Japan, the players participated in training sessions and training matches.

Throughout the camp, each player was assessed across a range of areas, including technical ability, tactical understanding and physical capabilities. Competing alongside players who had developed in different countries and regions also gave the participants an opportunity to learn from one another and gain a renewed understanding of their own strengths and areas for improvement.

JFA and SCO Group will continue to pursue player development initiatives from a global perspective, with the aim of further advancing Japanese football and raising its competitive level.

Comment from MIYAMOTO Tsuneyasu, JFA President

The inaugural FUTURE CAMP brought together players from a wide range of backgrounds, giving them a valuable opportunity to play together, appreciate each other’s individuality and values, and inspire one another. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to SCO Group and all our other partners who worked so hard to make this camp possible, as well as everyone who supported the project in various ways, from identifying and selecting players to organising and running the camp. Looking around the world, I am certain that there are still many talented players with Japanese roots whom we have yet to discover.

JFA will continue to expand its scouting activities overseas, looking at the potential of each individual player from a global perspective and creating opportunities that contribute to their development. We want to build on the connections formed through this camp and turn the potential of each player into a new source of strength for Japanese football. I believe that continuing these efforts will be a driving force in bringing us closer to our goal of becoming the best in the world. Drawing on the experience gained through FUTURE CAMP, we will continue our efforts to discover new talent and create opportunities for players to fulfil their potential.

Comment from YUKAWA Kazuyuki, JFA General Secretary

Through FUTURE CAMP, we hoped to encounter players with the qualities of leaders — players capable of forging their own path in a global and borderless environment and leading their teams both on and off the pitch. The players engaged proactively with their teammates and showed significant development even over the short duration of the camp. I look forward to seeing the new dynamics created through this experience contribute both to each player’s development and to the future of Japanese football.

Programme Details:https://www.jfa.jp/youth_development/jfa_future_camp/en/

About the Japan Football Association (JFA)

As the governing and representative body of football in Japan, JFA aims to contribute to the physical and mental development of people and the advancement of society by creating a rich sporting culture through football. To achieve these objectives, JFA undertakes the following activities:

1．Organising Japan national teams across different age groups and categories, entering them in various competitions, and hosting competitions involving Japan national teams
2．Organising the All Japan Football Championship and other football competitions
3．Developing football players, promoting the game, and training coaches and referees
4．Registering players, teams, coaches, referees and others involved in the game
5．Managing intellectual property rights and licensing trademarks
6．Undertaking activities that contribute to society and the international community
7．Conducting other activities necessary to achieve the objectives of the Association

About SCO Group

SCO Group, guided by its vision of “Creating a ‘105-Year Lifespan’ through Technology”, provides Pay Light, a service for dental clinics, and aims to contribute to improving the health of everyone in Japan by promoting preventive dental care. To achieve this, the company provides a range of solutions to dental clinics nationwide, from support with introducing payment services and improving operational efficiency to assistance with procuring medical equipment. Through these services, SCO Group works to create an environment in which dentists and dental hygienists can focus on providing treatment.