Brighton & Hove Albion will travel to the City Ground this weekend to take on Nottingham Forest in the Premier League.
The Seagulls are in sixth position in the table, and a win will boost their chances of securing a European spot next season.
However, before the game, a major controversy hit the club. Brighton faced a major storm this week after a post on their academy account triggered anger across China.
The issue started when an image of a young academy player standing beside Kaoru Mitoma spread rapidly online. Both held cards that showed a figure from Japan’s wartime past.
The image reached millions of people in China through a huge Weibo account that regularly covers Premier League content.
Fans in China immediately linked the image to painful wartime history. Many believed the card showed Hiroo Onoda, a soldier from the Japanese Imperial Army.
His unit carried out brutal acts in China during the Second World War. The reaction grew fast and turned into a severe PR problem for the club.
Brighton acted quickly, and the club released a statement on X and addressed fans in China directly.
They stressed that they meant no harm and apologised for the offence caused. The club said they respect their supporters in China and never intended to upset anyone.
This is not the first time Brighton have faced criticism in Asia this year.
In July, they announced Shin Seong-do-young’s loan move to Excelsior in Japanese instead of Korean, which created confusion and frustration among fans.
Fabian Hurzeler’s men will be looking to focus on the field, as they will look to surge ahead in their quest to secure a European spot next season.
The club sincerely apologises for any offence caused in China by a recent post about our Academy’s participation in the Premier League Christmas Truce Tournament.
We hugely value our fans in China and had no intention of causing any offence.
— Brighton & Hove Albion Academy (@BHAFC_Academy) November 28, 2025
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