This photo taken on June 21, 2026 shows Chinese fans of the Japan football team watching the 2026 World Cup Group F football match between Japan and Tunisia at a bar in Shanghai, as the game takes place at the Monterrey Stadium in Guadalupe, Mexico. China isn't the most obvious place for Japanese fandom to thrive -- the two countries' historical animosity is never far from the surface. But for the dozens of blue-jerseyed Chinese football supporters of Japan, their love of the football team has a long personal history, completely detached from politics. (Photo by Rebecca BAILEY / AFP via Getty Images) / To go with 'FBL-WC-2026-CHN-JPN-POLITICS-FAN,FOCUS' by Rebecca BAILEY and Tommy WANG