"Honda" posts an appeal to bosses across Japan to adjust work start times to avoid conflicts with the national team match, before a famous brand fulfills the request.
25 June 2026 — Keisuke Honda, former legendary Japanese national footballer and ex-manager of the Cambodian national team, who now works as a World Cup commentator, posted a message urging Japanese company executives to adjust employees' work start times to accommodate an important match of the "Samurai Blue" national team.
The decisive World Cup group stage match between Japan and Sweden is scheduled for Friday at 08:00 local time, which coincides exactly with the busy morning commute and typical work start time for salaried workers in Japan.
Keisuke Honda, serving as general director of live broadcasts and lead commentator for the streaming platform ABEMA, posted on his personal X account stating:
️"To executives across Japan, I sincerely apologize, but please consider adjusting employees' work start times." This post quickly went viral overnight, garnering over 100,000 likes and playful comments from football fans.
Just a few hours after the post, "CAGUUU," a well-known Japanese furniture and home decor brand, reposted in response to the national legend's request.
"Following an urgent decision by the company president, on Friday morning employees are allowed to work from home and come to the office in the afternoon, so everyone can unite in cheering for the Japan national team."
Keisuke Honda is well known among Thai football fans for his role as Cambodian national team manager from 2018 to 2023 before parting ways after the 2023 SEA Games. He has since become a major influence in Japanese sports media, with a straightforward, tactically rich commentary style shaped by his experience as a former coach and world-class player, making him a strong attraction for the new generation of football fans.
