Statabet 26 47 days until kickoff
Japan
Group F · Pot 2

Japan
Samurai Blue.

Eighth World Cup in a row — Asia's most consistent team. Beat Germany and Spain in the group stage in Doha. Now a generation raised in Europe: Kubo, Mitoma, Kamada already play in top-5 leagues.

Route · Group F
Sun · 14 JUNNetherlands — Japan — · —Dallas · 15:00 Sat · 20 JUNTunisia — Japan — · —Monterrey · 22:00 Thu · 25 JUNJapan — Sweden — · —Dallas · 18:00
Tue 30 JUNRound of 16 · F vs ?Houston
National anthem
Kimigayo
0:00
Wikimedia
Full path · 7 stages

National team
calendar.

Matchday 1
14 JUN · SUN · 15:00
away at Netherlands
Dallas · AT&T Stadium
Matchday 2
20 JUN · SAT · 22:00
away at Tunisia
Monterrey · "BBVA"
Matchday 3
25 JUN · THU · 18:00
vs Sweden
Dallas · AT&T Stadium
Round of 16
28 JUN–3 JUL · FRI
if they qualify
Atlanta · Boston · Vancouver · Guadalajara and 12 more
Round of 16
4 JUL–7 JUL · TUE
if they qualify
Atlanta · Dallas · Kansas City · Los Angeles and 4 more
Quarterfinals
9 JUL–11 JUL · SAT
if they qualify
Atlanta · New York / NJ · San Francisco · Philadelphia
Semifinals
14 JUL–15 JUL · WED
if they qualify
Atlanta · Dallas
Final
19 JUL · SUN
if they qualify
New York / NJ

Group stage confirmed, playoffs — date range and potential venues. Playoff schedule to be finalized after Round of 16 draw.

8
Tournaments in history
0
No titles
#17
FIFA Ranking
41.0
Odds to win
Coaching staff

Moriyasu —
third in a row.

Hajime Moriyasu

Hajime Moriyasu

Head coach · Japan · since 2018

The coach who took Japan through two Asian Cups (final-2019, quarterfinals-2023) and two World Cups. The AFC qualifying cycle the national team passed without defeat. Switched to 3-4-2-1, uses Kubo's mobility.

AFC Asian Cup 2023 QF Unbeaten in qualifying 87 matches · 56 wins
Stars

Four players
to watch.

TC

Tekefusa Kubo

Forward · № 18 · 24 years old

Winger at Real Sociedad, academy product of Barcelona and Real Madrid. La Liga debut at 18.

File
Kaoru Mitoma

Kaoru Mitoma

Forward · № 11 · 28 years old

Left winger at Brighton. "1.88 mm" vs Spain at World Cup 2022 — assist on Tanaka's winning goal.

File
Ritsu Doan

Ritsu Doan

Midfielder · № 8 · 27 years old

"Germany's Scourge" — scored both goals for Japan vs Germany and Spain at the 2022 World Cup.

File
Wataru Endo

Wataru Endo

Midfielder · № 6 · 33 years old

Captain, midfielder at Liverpool. English League Cup 2023/24, Premier League champion 2024/25.

File
Squad · preliminary list

Twenty-six players
under one roof.

Preliminary Final FIFA squad list — by May 27, 2026.

Goalkeepers

1
Jion Suzuki Parma 23 years old · 190 cm · €12M
12
Keisuke Osako Sanfrecce Hiroshima 30 years old · 187 cm · €1.5M
23
Daiya Maekawa Vissel Kobe 28 years old · 188 cm · €1.0M

Defenders

3
Shogo Taniguchi Al-Rayyan 29 years old · 183 cm · €2.0M
4
Ko Itakura Borussia M 28 years old · 188 cm · €20M
5
Yukinari Sugawara Southampton 25 years old · 177 cm · €12M
16
Takehiro Tomiyasu Arsenal 27 years old · 188 cm · €15M
2
Hiroki Sakai Urawa 36 years old · 183 cm · €0.5M
22
Hiroki Ito Bayern Munich 26 years old · 188 cm · €22M
26
Seiya Maikuma Kashima 27 years old · 178 cm · €1.5M
15
Kosuke Tawateri Reims 22 years old · 185 cm · €8.0M

Midfielders

7
Gaku Sibasaki Leicester 33 years old · 175 cm · €2.0M
6
Wataru Endo Liverpool 33 years old · 178 cm · €8.0M
8
Ritsu Doan Eintracht Frankfurt 27 years old · 172 cm · €30M
10
Takumi Minamino Monaco 31 years old · 174 cm · €12M
13
Hidemasa Morita Sporting 30 years old · 177 cm · €18M
14
Dziunia Ito Reims 33 years old · 175 cm · €5.0M
17
Ao Tanaka Leeds 27 years old · 180 cm · €15M
25
Keito Nakamura Reims 25 years old · 174 cm · €18M

Forwards

9
Aiase Ueda Feyenoord 27 years old · 182 cm · €20M
11
Kaoru Mitoma Brighton 28 years old · 178 cm · €55M
18
Tekefusa Kubo Real Sociedad 24 years old · 173 cm · €60M
19
Daizen Maeda Celtic 28 years old · 173 cm · €10M
20
Kyogo Furuhashi Rennes 31 years old · 170 cm · €6.0M
21
Keito Maeda Jeonbuk 22 years old · 175 cm · €1.5M
24
Sota Kavasaki Urawa 26 years old · 174 cm · €1.0M
History

Eight in a row
с 1998.

Shock in Doha.

8 tournaments since 1998 — without a break. Best result — Round of 16 in 2002, 2010, 2018, 2022. In Doha they beat Germany 2:1 and Spain 2:1, but lost to Croatia in the playoff.

2002 1/8 2010 1/8 2018 1/8 2022 1/8
20221/8Croatia on penalties, DohaRound of 16
20181/8Belgium 2:3, Rostov-on-DonRound of 16
2014GroupIvory Coast 1:2, Greece 0:0, Colombia 1:4Group
20101/8Paraguay — on penalties, PretoriaRound of 16
20021/8Turkey 0:1, RifRound of 16
1998GroupArgentina 0:1, Croatia 0:1, Jamaica 1:2Group
Chants

Stadium chants
on matchday.

Real fan chants for the national team — original, phonetic in Russian, translation and context.

Nippon Cha-Cha-Cha
Ni-PPON! Cha-cha-cha! Ni-PPON! Cha-cha-cha!
[Nip-PON! Cha-cha-cha! Nip-PON! Cha-cha-cha!]
Japan! Cha-cha-cha! (with three claps)

The standard Japanese chant with a three-clap rhythm. First appeared at the 1964 Olympics.