Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Saitama: Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds will face Brazil’s Chapecoense in the annual Suruga Bank Championship, ahead of their 2017 AFC Champions League quarter-final match against Kawasaki Frontale.
Co-organised by the Japan Football Association, CONMEBOL and the J.League, the 10th edition of the championship will again be hosted by Japan, as it has been since it’s inception in 2008.
The match between the 2016 J.League Cup champions and the 2016 Copa Sudamericana winners will take place in Saitama Stadium 2002, on August 15.
Both clubs will be making their first appearance in the event.
Japanese clubs have won five of the nine championships. Previous victors were FC Tokyo (2010), Jubilo Iwata (2011), Kashima Antlers (2012, 2013) and Kashiwa Reysol.
Winning the championship will be a confidence booster for Urawa ahead of their AFC Champions League quarter-final, first leg match-up with Kawasaki Frontale on August 23.
Chapecoense are rebuilding their team after tragedy struck the squad when the plane they were on crashed en route to Medellin, Colombia for the Copa Sudamericana Finals last November.
All but six of the 77 passengers and air crew lost their lives, with only three players surviving.
Photo: Lagardère Sports