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Japan
Group F · AFC · FIFA #18 · Pot 2
| # | Player | Pos | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zion Suzuki | GK | Parma |
| 2 | Yukinari Sugawara | DF | Werder Bremen |
| 3 | Shōgo Taniguchi | DF | Sint-Truiden |
| 4 | Kō Itakura | DF | Ajax |
| 5 | Yūto Nagatomo | DF | FC Tokyo |
| 6 | Wataru Endo | MF | Liverpool |
| 7 | Ao Tanaka | MF | Leeds United |
| 8 | Takefusa Kubo | MF | Real Sociedad |
| 9 | Keisuke Gotō | FW | Sint-Truiden |
| 10 | Ritsu Dōan | MF | Eintracht Frankfurt |
| 11 | Daizen Maeda | MF | Celtic |
| 12 | Keisuke Ōsako | GK | Sanfrecce Hiroshima |
| 13 | Keito Nakamura | MF | Reims |
| 14 | Junya Itō | MF | Genk |
| 15 | Daichi Kamada | MF | Crystal Palace |
| 16 | Tsuyoshi Watanabe | DF | Feyenoord |
| 17 | Yuito Suzuki | MF | SC Freiburg |
| 18 | Ayase Ueda | FW | Feyenoord |
| 19 | Kōki Ogawa | FW | NEC Nijmegen |
| 20 | Ayumu Seko | DF | Le Havre |
| 21 | Hiroki Itō | DF | Bayern Munich |
| 22 | Takehiro Tomiyasu | DF | Ajax |
| 23 | Tomoki Hayakawa | GK | Kashima Antlers |
| 24 | Kaishū Sano | MF | Mainz 05 |
| 25 | Junnosuke Suzuki | DF | Copenhagen |
| 26 | Kento Shiogai | FW | VfL Wolfsburg |
Japan made global headlines with a stunning 2-1 win over England at Wembley in a 2026 pre-tournament friendly. The Blue Samurai consistently dominate Asian qualifying and boast a star-studded squad of European-based players including Takefusa Kubo (Real Sociedad), Ritsu Doan, and Daichi Kamada. They are considered serious contenders to advance deep into the knockout rounds.
Path to qualification
Qualified by finishing first in AFC Third Round Group C, becoming the first nation to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
Matchday 1
Netherlands vs Japan
Netherlands vs Japan
AT&T Stadium
Matchday 2
Tunisia vs Japan
Tunisia vs Japan
Estadio BBVA
Matchday 3
Japan vs Sweden
Japan vs Sweden
AT&T Stadium