Alumni meet at the Tokyo Chapter of the 2023 FMA Decentralized World Gathering
The summer ‘matsuri’ (festival) season is in full flow in Japan at the moment and there was a festival filled family atmosphere as the Tokyo (JPN) Chapter of the 2023 FMA Decentralized World Gathering took place on Saturday, 22 July, against the backdrop of five-a-side football pitches and Tokyo’s skyline.
FIFA Master Alumni from seven separate editions of the programme, spanning almost 20 years, gathered to watch Nadeshiko Japan’s opening game of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup at a local football park.
Besides being treated to a feast of goals and an emphatic win for Japan, the social gathering demonstrated the family like bond that exists among FMA with recently born children of some of the alumni attending meeting for the very first time. The event also provided a platform for alumni to connect and discuss a variety of sports industry related topics.
Giancarlo Dapoto (FMA'03) stressed the importance of the event in terms of uniting the FMA’s global community: “Having the opportunity to host a chapter of the Decentralized World Gathering in Japan has not only facilitated being able to connect with fellow alumni living here, but it has also given the sense of being closer to alumni from across the globe as we all celebrate 20 years of our unique and special alumni association.”
Sadly Tokyo missed out on hosting an FMA World Gathering during the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics, so the Decentralized World Gathering carried extra significance for alumni living in the city. This was especially poignant for Taizo Uchida (FMA’20): “My edition of the FIFA master unfortunately missed out on many of the social events organised by the FMA, so to finally have an official gathering held indoor since the pandemic happened in Japan was an especially epic moment for me!”
The FMA Committee would like to thank Giancarlo Dapoto and Ami Otaki (FMA'17) for organizing the gathering, and the following alumni for taking part in it: Shoto Zhu (FMA'02), Kaita Sughihara (FMA'05), Shin Achiwa (FMA'11), Yosuke Kotaki (FMA'18) and Taizo Uchida (FMA'20).
Read more about the 2023 FMA Decentralized World Gathering here.
FMA Family
Japan supporters in the house
Class of 2043! ;-)