From August 19th to 22nd, 2025, the "U-12 Junior Soccer World Challenge 2025 (commonly known as 'World Challenge')" was held at Fukuda Denshi Field/Square/Arena in Chiba Prefecture, and the youth academy team of the prestigious Spanish soccer club FC Barcelona won the tournament for the seventh time, their first victory in two tournaments.

The final match will be between FC Barcelona and Malva FC.

　In response to the record-breaking heatwave, the tournament schedule was set to avoid the hottest hours between 11 am and 4 pm. On August 22nd, the two semi-final matches were held in the morning, followed by the final match at 4 pm.

　決勝戦に進んだのは、準決勝第1試合で2年ぶり4度目の出場となったFC大泉学園に3対0と快勝したFCバルセロナ。第2試合で逆転に次ぐ逆転の末、4対3でエコノメソッド選抜を破ったマルバFCが2022年の初優勝から2年ぶり2回目の進出となりました。

　In the final, FC Barcelona, ​​who had been in good form throughout the tournament, dominated the game. In the 5th minute, Pep Fares Garcia, number 7, scored from the left side to give them the lead. In the 10th minute, Pep scored again, this time from a through pass by Mario Franco de la Fuente, number 10. Mario then found the back of the net in the 20th and 25th minutes, giving FC Barcelona a 4-0 lead at halftime.

　In the second half, Malva FC showed their fighting spirit and even had periods where they controlled the game, but they only managed to score one goal in the 34th minute. At the moment of the final whistle, the Malva FC players, who had continued to run without giving up until the very end, collapsed to the ground, while FC Barcelona players formed a huddle on the pitch and celebrated their victory with cheers—a striking contrast.

Players born when the tournament was first held are in action.

　Since its inception in 2013, the World Challenge has now been held for the 13th time, and the Daiwa House Group has been a sponsor since the very first tournament. In the first tournament, there were no qualifiers, and all 12 teams were invited teams, but the scale of the tournament has grown, and this year 248 teams from all over Japan participated in the qualifiers. 40 teams, including 6 teams from overseas, participated in the main tournament.

　This tournament is an 11-a-side football competition for elementary school students aged 12 and under. It was started with the aim of giving Japanese children and coaches a taste of the world by inviting youth teams from top European clubs that have some of the world's best youth development programs.

　FC Barcelona, ​​the winner of the inaugural tournament, featured players such as Takefusa Kubo, the current number 10 for the Japanese national team, and Eric Garcia, who won the tournament's MVP award and is now playing for the team's first division, attracting considerable attention. Most of the players participating in this year's tournament were born in 2013, the year the tournament was first held. Over the following 13 years, many other players who have become J.League players or are active overseas have emerged from the World Challenge, players that children look up to.

A tournament attracting attention from prestigious clubs around the world.

　今回優勝したFCバルセロナは第1回大会から参加し、6大会連続で3位以内、2021年と22年は新型コロナウイルスの影響で海外チームの参加はありませんでしたが、参加した10大会で優勝7回と世界の壁を見せつけてきました。また、今大会でもっとも活躍した選手に贈られるDaiwa House MVPには、決勝戦では2ゴール1アシストの活躍を見せるなど、大会を通じてチームを牽引した10番のマリオ選手が選ばれました。

　Head coach Jordi Perez Trujillo, who led the team, said, "The players know whether their older teammates won or lost in this tournament, and that motivates them. The younger players are also looking forward to coming to Japan. For them as players, this is just the beginning. I think this experience has given them great confidence. Their play got better and better from the first match, and they played well in the semi-finals and finals. I hope they will remember this and take it back to Spain, and grow by sticking to it." It seems that the World Challenge is a stepping stone for both the players and the team.

　He also shared his impressions of Japanese players and teams, saying, "They have improved tremendously compared to 10 years ago. As a coach, I look forward to seeing how far they can go and to watching the growth of Japanese players every year."

A meaningful competition where we were able to check our answers.

　At the closing ceremony, Executive Committee Chairman Mitsuru Hamada concluded the tournament by saying, "The JFA had decided that regular tournaments could not be held in August, but they accepted our request and understood that we could hold the tournament in Chiba Prefecture. This is the 13th tournament since 2013. Most of the players were born in the year that Takefusa Kubo and Eric Garcia participated in this tournament. I believe that in 13 years, many players will emerge from among you who are playing for the Japanese national team or on the world stage. And I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Daiwa House Group, who have been sponsoring the tournament since the very first one, as well as all the other sponsors and related parties. This tournament has been going for 13 years, but we hope to continue it for 20, 30 more times."

　Furthermore, we were able to speak with Mr. Hamada after the closing ceremony.

"When FC Oizumi Gakuen and Malva FC won in the tournament, I was impressed by how they celebrated as if they had won the World Cup. Everyone truly put in the effort to win in this tournament, and it's a tournament where they can be genuinely serious about it. That's leading to the players' growth. Seeing so many scenes like that, I felt that this tournament has become a place where you can see the players growing from children into adults."

Thirteen years ago, I said, "I hope some players will take flight from here," but the future was still uncertain. Now, 13 years later, when we look back, this tournament has turned out to be exactly what we expected. The children who were zero years old back then are now 13 years old and watching this place, and I believe that in another 13 years, some of them will become top-class players for the Japanese national team. This is how the level of play gradually rises, and you can see the history of how soccer develops. In that sense, this tournament is special. We've finished checking our answers, and now we're moving on to the next phase."

　Furthermore, regarding the Daiwa House Group, which has been a sponsor since the first tournament:

"We are truly grateful for the continuous support you have given us since the first tournament, which would have been impossible with just our own desire to do it. Seeing the eyes and atmosphere of the children now, I think you can feel the significance of promoting this tournament even more. We would love to create the next phase together again."

"While feeling a sense of responsibility, I also have to create something enjoyable, so I want to be creative and not be confined to any particular style," he said, expressing his gratitude and future aspirations.

　What started as a tournament with just 12 teams has now grown into a coveted summer holiday event for U-12 players nationwide. Furthermore, driven by the desire to "provide many children with the opportunity to compete against world-class teams" (Hamada), the participating teams are no longer limited to J.League clubs or local clubs. Selections are held nationwide, and the tournament now includes Daiwa House DREAMS, a local club select team comprised of players who normally play for different clubs, and Daiwa House FUTURES, a World Challenge select team. In addition, a women's select team, JSWC Nadeshiko Select, has been formed, incorporating a system that allows a wider range of players to take on the challenge.

　The Daiwa House Group will continue to support children's dreams, with the motto, "We support children as they run towards the future."