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Are you looking to attend RWC 2019 in Japan? Perhaps you wish to take in matches involving both Argentina and Uruguay? Maybe both the USA and Canada? Doing so will realistically not be possible as schedule headaches await Americas fans.
South America
Argentina and Uruguay will compete in separate pools in RWC 2019. Los Pumas are in Pool C against England, France, Tonga, and the USA. Los Teros are to be up against Australia, Fiji, Georgia, and Wales.
Japan is not a large country and the host venues are located in easily accessible areas. For instance Argentina vs Tonga in Hanozono while Uruguay face Wales in Kumamoto. The overall distance from one to the other is not so frightening.
Meanwhile the fixtures of Uruguay vs Georgia and Argentina vs USA will both be in Kumagaya. So what is the catch? The answer is that supporters seeking to attend matches of both countries are in for headaches.
A tourist looking to follow both teams will have to pick and choose. As shown in the following table Argentina open on day two of the World Cup in Tokyo against France. They also play in Tokyo and nearby Kumagaya for their third and fourth matches. Match two is the only fixture located far from the Japanese capital.
| DATE | FIXTURE | VENUE | KICK-OFF LOCAL TIME |
| September 21 2019 | Argentina vs France | Tokyo | 4:15pm |
| September 28 2019 | Argentina vs Tonga | Hanozono | 1:45pm |
| October 05 2019 | Argentina vs England | Tokyo | 5:00pm |
| October 09 2019 | Argentina vs USA | Kumagaya | 1:45pm |
Uruguay, in contrast, will begin north of Tokyo in Kamaishi and also take in matches in Kumagaya, Oita and Kumamoto. This sees Los Teros as one of the biggest travelers of all teams in RWC 2019 and the venues can be identified in the map at the bottom of the page. Uruguay’s schedule is as follows:
| DATE | FIXTURE | VENUE | KICK-OFF LOCAL TIME |
| September 25 2019 | Uruguay vs Fiji | Kamaishi | 2:15pm |
| September 29 2019 | Uruguay vs Georgia | Kumagaya | 2:15pm |
| October 05 2019 | Uruguay vs Australia | Oita | 2:15pm |
| October 13 2019 | Uruguay vs Wales | Kumamoto | 5:15pm |
A traveling supporter could begin by attending Argentina vs France and then travel to see Uruguay vs Fiji. From there a trip to Hanozono three days later for a Pumas match and then Kumagaya the following day for a Teros match. So far so good.
Then October 05 complicates matters. Argentina and Uruguay are scheduled to play on the same day, doing so far apart in Tokyo and Oita against England and Australia respectively.
Should a supporter seek to attend the Uruguayan match in Oita and then see Argentina vs USA back in Kumagaya it would be entirely possible. The matches are four days apart and Uruguay then play again four further days later in Kumamoto. This would see a supporter travel from southern Japan to central Japan and back to southern Japan for the three matches.
North America
How about taking in a USA match? There are additional headaches for South American supporters. The USA’s lowest ranked opponent is Tonga. That match falls on October 13 less than three hours before Uruguay vs Wales.
| DATE | FIXTURE | VENUE | KICK-OFF LOCAL TIME |
| September 26 2019 | USA vs England | Kobe | 7:45pm |
| October 02 2019 | USA vs France | Fukuoka | 4:45pm |
| October 09 2019 | USA vs Argentina | Kumagaya | 1:45pm |
| October 13 2019 | USA vs Tonga | Hanazono | 2:45pm |
North American supporters are to also face headaches. Attending all of the Eagles matches as well as taking in some from Argentina, Uruguay, and Canada will require careful decision making.
Should Canada successfully qualify via repechage then the schedule will be as follows:
| DATE | FIXTURE | VENUE | KICK-OFF LOCAL TIME |
| September 26 2019 | Canada vs Italy | Fukuoka | 4:45pm |
| October 02 2019 | Canada vs New Zealand | Oita | 7:15pm |
| October 08 2019 | Canada vs South Africa | Kobe | 7:12pm |
| October 13 2019 | Canada vs Namibia | Kamaishi | 12:15pm |
The Repechage Winner will play three matches on the same date as the USA. Locations mean that attending both fixtures is not plausible. Three hours before the USA face England in Kobe the Repechage Winner will face Italy in Fukuoka on September 26.
On October 02 the USA will then play in Fukuoka while the Repechage Winner will play in Oita. There is a two hour journey between cities but the scheduling will not allow for even the most adventurous to take in both matches.
The biggest headache for North Americans wanting to see both the USA and Canada is the final match. The most winnable games are vs Tonga and Namibia. The two fixtures are to be on the same day with one in Kamaishi and the other in Hanonozo.
