Japan at the World Cup 2026: Squad, Group & Path

Japan at the World Cup 2026

Asia's most consistent qualifiers arrive in North America with a fearless, technical squad.

Under Hajime Moriyasu, Japan bring a squad worth getting to know before a ball is kicked. The names to watch include T. Kubo (FW), W. Endo (MF), R. Doan (MF), A. Ueda (FW), and K. Itakura (DF). Together they shape how this side will press, build, and threaten across three group games, and they give supporters plenty to track from the opening whistle through the final group fixture.

The group. Drawn into Group F, Japan go head-to-head with Netherlands, Sweden, and Tunisia. It is a section that rewards a strong start, and every point will matter when the standings are settled. The fixture to circle early is Netherlands vs Japan, a game that could set the tone for everything that follows in the group.

The path. Win the group and the bracket opens up with a kinder route into the knockout rounds; finish second and a sterner draw awaits. Either way, the road to the final runs through the last 32, the last 16, and beyond, where margins shrink and a single moment can decide a campaign.

What success looks like: reaching the knockout rounds and pushing past the last-16 ceiling.

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