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    The 4th Maruhan × STVV Cup
    Supported by Gachagacha Market & RESPECT YOU, KAKUICHI

The Smiles of Children Lead to New Experiences for the Next Generation of ChildrenThe 4th Maruhan × STVV CupSupported by Gachagacha Market & RESPECT YOU, KAKUICHI

2026.06.25
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Organizer: Maruhan East Japan Company, Ltd. (Maruhan Co., Ltd.)

On June 6, 2026, the 4th Maruhan × STVV Cup was held at Yachiyo City General Ground.

Although the weather forecast had predicted cloudy skies, by the time the Molten team arrived at the venue and began preparations, the clouds had completely cleared, revealing a beautiful blue sky and creating perfect conditions for the event.

As in previous years, many children participated in the tournament, and the venue was filled with energy and excitement from early in the morning.

At the opening ceremony, the children’s faces were filled with excitement and anticipation, making for a wonderful start to the tournament. It was a moment that reflected the dedication and passion of everyone involved, including the tournament organizers and sponsoring companies.

Once the matches began, the players chased every ball with determination and never gave up until the final whistle, giving their all in every play. We witnessed a wide range of emotions that only sports can inspire—the cheers that erupted when a goal was scored, the joy of celebrating with teammates, and the resilience of those who, despite the disappointment of defeat, looked ahead and prepared for the next challenge.

In addition, the annual “Adults’ Penalty Kick Challenge” once again proved to be a major highlight of the event. It was especially heartwarming to see not only the children but also the adults fully engaged and enjoying the tournament together. The entire venue was filled with smiles, reminding us that this is truly an event made possible through the collective efforts of everyone involved.

The capsule toy machines set up at the venue were extremely popular with the children. Numerous guests and sponsor representatives, including Shinji Okazaki, attended the event, contributing to the lively atmosphere throughout the day. We also had the opportunity to meet and greet many attendees and introduce MY FOOTBALL KIT to a wide range of people.

In his interview, Shinji Okazaki spoke about the importance of how Sint-Truidense V.V. has consistently valued community engagement and youth development. His perspective—that football is not only about performance on the pitch, but also about creating value for people, communities, and future generations—strongly resonated with the vision we pursue through MY FOOTBALL KIT.

This year marked the fourth MY FOOTBALL KIT assembly event, during which we delivered 1,000 specially designed MY FOOTBALL KITs to children. The assembly activity has become a well-established tradition of the tournament, and some children now look forward to attending specifically for this experience. We were also delighted to hear parents say, “My child was looking forward to building one again this year.”

Comments like these are especially meaningful to us. They are only possible because the event has been held continuously over the years, and they remind us of the lasting impact that such experiences can have on children and their families.

Children immersed themselves in the assembly process, and throughout the venue we could once again see countless smiles as they proudly played with the balls they had completed.

A portion of the MY FOOTBALL KITs purchased for this event will be delivered to children who have limited access to sports and hands-on learning opportunities. The smiles, excitement, and spirit of challenge that were born at the venue on this day will, in turn, create new opportunities and experiences for other children in the future.

We also received a comment from Mr. Masaru Akao, Chief of the Corporate Planning Department and CSO of the Sports Business Division at Maruhan East Japan Company.

Comment from Mr. Masaru Akao, Chief of the Corporate Planning Department and CSO of the Sports Business Division at Maruhan East Japan Company

"On the occasion of the 4th Maruhan × STVV Cup supported by Gachagacha Market and RESPECT YOU, KAKUICHI, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to all sponsoring companies and supporting organizations for their tremendous support and cooperation. Thank you very much.

Thanks to your warm support, the tournament was held under beautiful weather conditions and welcomed a total of 1,705 visitors. We are pleased to report that the event concluded successfully, without any accidents or injuries, and was a tremendous success.

The focused determination in the eyes of the children as they ran across the pitch, the joyful smiles that burst forth when goals were scored, the embraces shared among teammates, and the heartfelt encouragement from parents cheering them on—all of these moments came together to create an unforgettable atmosphere of excitement throughout the venue. This remarkable scene was made possible by the invaluable support of our sponsors and partner organizations, as well as the passion of every single person who attended the event.

We are also deeply honored that, through our partnership with Molten, we have been able to deliver the assembly-type football, MY FOOTBALL KIT, to so many children each year. We look forward to continuing this collaborative relationship and actively participating in Molten’s social contribution initiative, “The Kindest Pass in the World.” Through our sports business activities, we hope to help create even more smiles for children through the power of sport.

At Maruhan East Japan Company, our purpose is to ‘create the joy of living in the 100-year life era through the power of people and connections.’ The smiles and excitement we created together through this tournament are a perfect example of the value generated by human connections through sport, and they allowed us to experience that joy firsthand.

As the organizer, it is both a privilege and a source of great pride to have shared this meaningful experience with all of you. We hope that the memories and experiences from this day will inspire the children in their future growth and dreams, while also becoming cherished memories for everyone who participated.

Moving forward, we will continue to value our connections with all those we have the opportunity to work with and will dedicate ourselves to supporting children’s bright futures. Through sport, we aim to bring the joy of living to communities and continue creating opportunities that inspire the next generation."

At the event, thanks to an introduction from Mr. Akao, we also had the opportunity to speak with Mr. Michikazu Kobayashi, who is involved in supporting children’s homes throughout Chiba Prefecture. Learning about his activities was truly inspiring, and we would be delighted if there are opportunities for future collaboration.

This event once again reminded us that sport is about much more than winning and losing. It has the power to nurture people, connect communities, and create lasting value for future generations.

Together with our many partners, MY FOOTBALL KIT will continue to deliver the joy of creating and the inspiration to take on new challenges to as many children as possible. By doing so, we hope to expand a cycle in which one child’s experience becomes the opportunity that inspires the next.

Event Website：https://maruhan-stvvcup-lp.net/yachiyo/

Official Website of Maruhan East Japan Company：https://www.maruhan.co.jp/east/

Leukste Soccer School Powered by Sint-Truiden VV: https://leukste-sport.com/

Leukste Soccer School: https://www.instagram.com/leukstesoccerschool/