Japan-US Dream Bowl set for January 2023

| American Football | 08/22/2022

Japan’s brightest stars will share the gridiron with a select team of Ivy League football standouts in a thrilling global edition of the Dream Bowl. The highly anticipated contest will be held at the National Stadium in Tokyo, Japan on January 22nd of next year. 

Japan’s squad will be largely comprised of players from the X League, the highest level of Japanese football, while also featuring collegiate athletes. The commissioner of Japan’s National Football Association (NFA), Riichiro Fukahori, spoke about his admiration for the Ivy League and their cooperation during a news conference announcing the Dream Bowl. Fukahori told media that the game wouldn’t be possible without the commitment and dedication given by the Ivy League. 

Japan’s team will welcome Yo Yamamoto as their head coach along with several other X League staff members to fill out the team’s coaching staff. The American team is expected to announce which players will be showcased on the roster as well as the coaching staff sometime in December. 

The Dream Bowl won’t be the first collision between Japanese football and the Ivy League however, as eight Ivy Bowls were held in Japan during the 1990’s. The U.S. team, which featured former NFL quarterback Jay Fielder, won all of the matchups during this span. 

The game will give Japanese players with NFL dreams a chance to compete at a high level of American football while also giving Ivy League players a chance to play in a bowl game (the Ivy League does not have a postseason). Be sure to stay tuned once Fall football has passed for what is guaranteed to be a competitive clash of global phenoms. 

Will is a student at the University of Michigan where he is pursuing his Bachelor of Arts degree in Sport Management. He also has experience in professional scouting and hopes to pursue this field after graduation.