NYC is hosting its first ever SPOGOMI World Cup Qualifier.
Pick up trash for a chance to win a trip to Japan 🇯🇵!
What is SPOGOMI?
Originating in Japan, SPOGOMI is the competitive sport of picking up trash. Teams have one hour to collect, sort, and weigh as much as they can, and the team with the most wins. The goal is to show you that cleaning your own neighborhoods can be a great way to meet people and have fun. Come for the litter, stay for the laughs.
SPOGOMI is promoted worldwide by the SPOGOMI Federation, a special project of the Nippon Foundation.
More than 40 countries worldwide host regular cleanups and compete in the Spogomi World Cup!
SPOGOMI World Cup 2027
Competition Timeline
March
2027
How it works
Regional Qualifier
🗽 vs. 🍎
Teams from all 5 boroughs come together to compete in Manhattan. The winning team gets a free trip to Los Angeles!
📍 New York City
In 2027, Spogomi will host their third World Cup, bringing together national teams from across the globe to compete and create a cleaner community. This will be NYC’s first time competing! Registration will open in early 2027.
Sign up for updates to be the first to know the latest information.
April
2027
❌ Do not run.
❌ Do not get in the way of pedestrians.
❌ Do not enter drains or water.
❌ Do not enter road medians.
❌ Do not collect trash from trash cans or dumpsters.
❌ Do not touch hazardous materials or unidentified liquids.
❌ Do not open gates or doors to private areas.
❌ Do not collect bulky waste. If you are unsure, check with a referee.
October
2027
National Qualifier
🗽 vs. 🌴
Regional Qualifier winners from NYC and Los Angeles compete in the National Qualifier. The winning team gets a free trip to Tokyo!
📍 Los Angeles
SPOGOMI World Cup
🇺🇸 vs. 🌍
National Qualifiers from around the world convene in Tokyo to battle it out in the World Cup. The winning team gets serious bragging rights :)
📍 Tokyo
Grab it.
Each team of 3 has 40 minutes to collect as much trash as they can within a designated area.
Sort it.
Sort your trash into the designated categories.
Weigh it.
Referees and volunteers will weigh each team’s sorted trash and calculate the total points to decide the winner.
The Rules
Points are assigned by weight and type of trash collected. You can lose points for being late, rule violations, sorting trash incorrectly, or cheating.
✔️ Keep your team within ~30ft of each other at all times (that’s about half the length of a subway car!).
✔️ Obey all traffic laws and regulations.
✔️ Stay within the designated competition area and time limit.
✔️ Sort collected trash according to the designated categories.
✔️ Walk/speed walk during the game.
✔️ Only use the trash collection materials provided to you.
✔️ Respect participants and volunteers.
Meet your New York organizer
Hi! I’m Ellen,
aka the Brooklyn Brigilante
After going viral for removing trash and love locks from the Brooklyn Bridge, I got deeply invested in the trash world here in NYC. I continue to work with elected officials, city agency leadership, and local nonprofits to lobby for better stewardship of the bridge and to keep trash from falling into the East River.
Connecting with the amazing people running cleanups in every corner of the city has been the best part of this work. When a friend told me about Spogomi, I was shocked that NYC had never competed. New Yorkers are the most competitive people on the planet and we’ve got some of the most interesting trash. So I reached out to the team in Japan and yadda yadda yadda, I’m bringing Spogomi to NYC!
Have questions about Spogomi in NYC? Reach out!
Sponsorship Opportunities
The Spogomi World Cup is made possible by the Spogomi Federation, a special project of the Nippon Foundation, and local/national sponsors.
SPOGOMI USA is a not-for-profit organization and is tax exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code that supports ecological education and sustainability through the implementation of competitive trash cleanups within host cities in the United States. Federal EIN (tax ID) number 41-3904055.
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Premier recognition as national sponsor for the 2027 SPOGOMI USA World Cup Qualifiers
Pinned social media mention for the year
Email banner inclusion on all marketing emails for the year
Website banner as national sponsor for the year
Principal logo placement on all production specific materials and signage for World Cup Qualifier events in all cities
Acknowledgement in all press releases as a national sponsor
Complimentary 10ft x 10ft brand presence at all SPOGOMI USA World Cup Qualifier events
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Social media mention every two weeks during the three (3) month lead up to your city’s event
Email banner inclusion on all marketing emails for a three (3) month lead up to your city’s event
Logo placement on all production specific materials and signage for your city’s event
Acknowledgement in press releases for your city as a local sponsor
Complimentary 10ft x 10ft brand presence at your city’s SPOGOMI USA World Cup Qualifier event
-
Social media mention every month during the three (3) month lead up to your city’s event
Email logo inclusion on all marketing emails during the three (3) month lead up to your city’s event
Logo placement on all production specific materials and signage for your city’s event
Acknowledgement in press releases for your city as an in-kind sponsor
Product and/or informational placement in a shared in-kind sponsor location at your city’s SPOGOMI USA World Cup Qualifier event