One Piece x Japan National Football Team Reveal Special 2026 FIFA World Cup Collaboration Video

The FIFA World Cup 2026 is about to start in a few days, and every participating country, in one way or another, is trying to support and cheer for its national team. Similarly, Japan’s one of the biggest cultural icons for inspiration – Monkey D Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates of One Piece are stepping in to cheer the Japanese national football team, also known as “Samurai Blue”.

Ahead of the tournament, One Piece and Japan’s national football team have unveiled a special collaboration celebrating the shared pursuit of impossible dreams and reaching the top of the world. Let us know everything about it.

One Piece and Japan Football Team’s Inspiring World Cup Collaboration

One Piece and Japan’s national football team have released a special 1-minute collaboration video titled “To Our Highest Peak” ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026. The video premiered on May 31, 2026, through the official ONE PIECE YouTube channel and JFA TV.

The collaboration draws a direct parallel between Monkey D. Luffy’s lifelong dream of becoming King of the Pirates and Japan’s ambition of reaching the summit of world football. With images of panels from the manga mixed with scenes of the Japanese national football team’s players, the video emphasizes common values of perseverance and friendship shared by the sport and the series.

The collaboration was first hinted at on May 29, when the official social media handles of One Piece posted a special blue-colored Straw Hat, which was gifted to Japan’s national football team (@Eiichiro_Staff on Twitter/X). The Straw Hat came with an innovative design featuring Luffy’s signature hat in the color of the country’s national team. The post also says –

To those serious about their dreams, companions gather.

The message continues by admitting that people often laugh at ambitious dreams, especially when someone aims to become the best in the world. However, it argues that those who pursue greatness naturally attract others who share the same determination.

The message ends by emphasizing that One Piece does not laugh at Japan’s aspirations of being the greatest football nation in the world, since it believes that one day such ambitions will be realized. Japan recently qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and comes into the tournament as one of Asia’s toughest competitors. Given that this tournament will be hosted in the US, Canada, and Mexico in June-July 2026, the anticipation with Samurai Blue is greater than ever before.

One Piece Continues To Dominate Global Pop Culture

What makes this partnership unique is the way in which it ties to the concept of Oda’s series. After the release of the manga in 1997, it has always been centered on dreamers who have been working hard toward goals that seem unattainable for most people. While Luffy strives to be King of the Pirates, Zoro hopes to become the world’s best swordsman, and Sanji searches for All Blue, One Piece encourages viewers not to give up hope of reaching their goals despite any difficulties.

In this case, the idea draws a parallel between One Piece and the Japanese national football team. The FIFA World Cup is certainly one of the hardest goals to achieve, but the message of One Piece is never giving up, despite what other people might think.

The campaign also arrives at a time when One Piece continues to dominate global pop culture. The manga series launched way back in July 1997 and reached over 500 million copies sold worldwide in 2022, ranking it as one of the highest-selling manga books ever published.

Furthermore, the anime adaptation, which aired from 1999, is still one of the most popular anime television shows on the planet. The plot is presently well into the Final Saga, and the Elbaf arc is witnessing some exciting new plot twists and introductions, including Loki, the Giants, and the Holy Knights.

For many of their fans, this partnership acts as a reminder of what makes One Piece such a relevant show more than two decades later. Its message about believing in impossible dreams continues to resonate far beyond manga and anime, extending even to the world’s biggest sporting event.

Series Title	One Piece
Manga Author	Eiichiro Oda
Anime Rating (MAL) – as of June 3, 2026	8.73 / 10
Manga Rating (MAL) – as of June 3, 2026	9.21 / 10

Now the big question – Do you think Japan can make a deep run at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and does this collaboration perfectly capture the spirit of the Japanese football team’s ambitions? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

The One Piece anime is currently available to watch on Crunchyroll.