A Japanese social media personality has responded to online criticism after being accused of relying on a “sugar daddy” to fund her trip to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, insisting she spent four years saving to make her dream a reality.
Known online as Inori, the influencer has built a following of more than 350,000 across various social media platforms. She recently shared a photo of herself attending Japan’s World Cup clash against the Netherlands on 15 June, but instead of celebrating the experience, she found herself at the centre of an online backlash.
Many social media users questioned whether she was a genuine football supporter, while others claimed she was only attending for attention. Some even alleged that an older wealthy man had financed her overseas holiday, despite having no evidence to support those accusations.
Four Years of Planning for a Dream Trip
Speaking to Japanese media outlet Shueisha Online, Inori explained that the journey was the result of years of careful financial planning rather than outside assistance.
She revealed that she first decided to attend the tournament four years ago after seeing other supporters travel to the previous World Cup. At the time, she was still a university student and knew she could not immediately afford such an expensive overseas trip.
Instead of giving up on the idea, she committed herself to saving consistently, believing that four years would give her enough time to reach her goal.
According to Inori, the entire trip—including flights, accommodation and match tickets—cost approximately ¥3 million, which works out to around S$24,000. As it was her first time travelling overseas, she opted to book through a travel agency rather than organise everything independently.
Lifelong Passion for Football
Inori also dismissed claims that she was merely posing as a football fan for social media.
She shared that her interest in the sport began during her school years after receiving tickets to a Cerezo Osaka match from a friend’s father. The experience sparked a lasting passion, leading her to follow Japanese football closely.
Her enthusiasm even influenced her academic path, as she later studied sports management at university with a focus on encouraging greater female participation and interest in football.
Although she was excited to finally watch Japan play abroad, she admitted she was equally thrilled to see Dutch captain Virgil van Dijk in person, having admired him since her teenage years.
Despite being a fan of the defender, she stressed that her loyalty remained firmly with Japan and that she wanted the national team to emerge victorious.
Calls for an End to Online Abuse
Reflecting on the criticism, Inori acknowledged that the comments were upsetting but said she was not entirely surprised by the reaction.
She firmly rejected allegations that she was paid to attend the tournament or that she had little interest in the matches, describing the claims as completely false.
The influencer also expressed concern that female football supporters appear to receive disproportionate levels of online hostility compared with their male counterparts during major sporting events.
She believes there should not be rigid definitions of who qualifies as a “real” football fan and hopes supporters, regardless of gender, can enjoy the sport without becoming targets of abusive online comments.
Her response has reignited conversations about online harassment, gender stereotypes in football culture and the assumptions often made about women attending major sporting events.