By Sahil Kohli
Fukuoka [Japan], July 13 : Ahead of his side's match against Japanese football club Avispa Fukuoka, Punjab FC youth team coach Praveen Kumar has said that conditions in Japan would not be a major issue for their side, pointing to similarities with the weather in India and also the extra effort made for acclimatisation.
Punjab FC youth team is in Fukuoka as a part of Reliance Foundation Development League (RFDL) exposure tour to Japan from July 11-23, under which they would compete against youth teams of some of Japan's top clubs. It is the third-placed side of the RFDL season 2025-26, with top-two teams, Bengaluru FC and FC Goa having also earned a spot for the tour.
Speaking about the match, scheduled for Tuesday, Praveen Kumar said they were excited for the match.
"We are very excited; that is what we have been preparing for, and I believe we are well-prepared. Let us see what we face tomorrow," Kumar told ANI.
On the team's acclimatisation in Japan after having played in the UK during the Premier League Next Gen Cup and in India, Praveen Kumar said that players arrived a couple days earlier and are acclimatising to conditions.
Having gone through video footage of Japanese teams, he expects a higher intensity. "We arrived here almost two days early, so the players are currently acclimatising. We even had a training session today. There is not a huge difference between India and here; it is quite hot here, just like it was in Punjab, so I do not think the temperature will be a major issue. However, I believe the intensity of the games will be much higher--based on the videos we have seen of Japanese teams--so we will see how it goes tomorrow."
"I asked them to stay focused, stay prepared and most importantly, enjoy the game," he added.
The tour will see the three Indian clubs compete against leading Japanese youth sides Avispa Fukuoka U18, Sagan Tosu U18, Giravanz Kitakyushu U18 and FC Baleine Shimonoseki U21. The matches are designed to expose India's most promising young footballers to high-intensity competition, different playing styles and one of Asia's most successful football development ecosystems.
Over the past few years, the Indian teams from RFDL have competed against some of England's leading youth teams. The Japan tour presents the next step in expanding those global learning opportunities, allowing India's best young talent to benchmark themselves against one of Asia's leading football nations.
Recognising that player development goes hand in hand with coach development, the programme also includes a dedicated three-day coach education module for six coaches from the participating clubs at Avispa Fukuoka. The curriculum will include sessions on Individual Development Plans, player progression and high-performance environments, alongside interactions with the Football Director of FC Machida Zelvia, whose club has risen from the J2 League (second tier of Japan football) to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League Elite Final in just three years.