Japan woman accused of having ‘sugar daddy’ pay for trip to World Cup, says she saved for 4 years to afford it

A Japanese influencer who spent four years saving up to attend the 2026 World Cup in North America has hit back at online accusations claiming she could not have funded the trip herself.

Inori, a TikTok livestreamer with over 350,000 followers across social media platforms, posted a selfie at the stadium during Japan's match against the Netherlands on Jun. 15. The photo went viral on X, but also drew a wave of unsolicited scepticism.

Comments included accusations that she had no real interest in football, was only there to be seen, and that a "sugar daddy" had paid for her trip. Some questioned whether she even understood the rules of the game, according to Shueisha Online.

日本🇯🇵vsオランダ🇳🇱

勝ってぇ🥺#W杯 #worldcup pic.twitter.com/UDiR49hS81

— いのり (@_inooori_) June 14, 2026

Four years of saving

Inori told Shueisha Online she had decided to attend this World Cup four years ago, after seeing posts from fans who had made the trip to the previous tournament.

She said:

"Back then I was a university student and didn't have the money to go overseas. But I thought that with four years, depending on what I do, I might be able to make it happen."

The total cost of the trip, which includes flights, accommodation, and tickets, amounted to around ¥3 million (S$24,054). It was also her first time travelling overseas. She booked through a travel agency as she was unfamiliar with arranging international trips on her own.

She added:

"I was always conscious of saving money because I knew it would be expensive. But I didn't think of it as a hardship or effort, I chose ways to keep going that I genuinely enjoyed."

A lifelong football fan

Inori's love of football goes back to her school days, when a friend's father gave her tickets to a Cerezo Osaka match, her first time at a stadium. She later started following the Japanese league, studied sports management at university with a focus on growing female fandom in football, and continues to attend matches regularly.

On watching Japan play live for the first time overseas, she told Shueisha:

"I've watched Japan play in Japan before, but the energy from fans who had travelled all the way overseas was just different. The atmosphere, the heat, the passion of the supporters really came through."

She had also been looking forward to seeing Netherlands footballer Virgil van Dijk in person, having followed him since high school. But when it came to the match itself, she was of course rooting for Japan.

She said:

"Even if I have a favourite player, I want Japan to win."

On the online backlash

Inori said the criticism was hurtful but not entirely surprising, adding that she felt compelled to speak up not just for herself but for female football fans more broadly.

She told Shueisha that some of the accusations, including that she wasn't actually watching the match or that she was paid to be there, were absolutely untrue.

She added that during this World Cup, female fans in particular seemed to be bearing the brunt of online hostility, which concerned her.

"You don't need to draw a line over who is a 'real' fan. I just want excessive online abuse to stop. I want to see more female supporters."