The victory had secured Japan’s berth at the 2026 World Cup with three qualifiers to spare, and the postgame festivities had left the Samurai Blue coach sounding far throatier than usual.

WELLINGTON--Japan stormed through the group stage at the Women’s World Cup with three dominant wins, and playmaker Yui Hasegawa says it is vital that they maintain their level of performance ...

In the March 2025 window, we started seeing non-host nations qualify for the World Cup. The first to accomplish this feat was Japan on March 20. By the end of the March qualification window ...

Women's pro football is historically much more recent. The first women's football team in Japan was formed in 1966. That only 4 years before the first Women's World Cup. Men have over a century to ...

Japan have never gone beyond the last 16 at a World Cup but they have set themselves the ambitious target of winning next year’s tournament after dominating in Asian qualifying. Hajime Moriyasu ...

They will then attempt to defend their CONCACAF Gold Cup crown in the United States and Canada. Japan became the first country, other than the three host nations, to qualify for the World Cup with ...

Japan became the first team to qualify for next year’s FIFA World Cup on Thursday as South Korea were held, but still inched closer along with a rampant Australia and a dominant Iran. Daichi Kamada ...

After qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Japan have reiterated their aim of winning the tournament -- which would require them to become the first nation outside Europe and South America to ...

AFP Japan has never gone beyond the last 16 at a World Cup, but it has set itself the ambitious target of winning next year's tournament after dominating in Asian qualifying. Hajime Moriyasu's ...

Japan's win over Bahrain saw them avoid defeat in all 13 of their qualifying matches, including six victories from seven games in the third stage of World Cup qualification. As for Saudi Arabia ...

Japan's Daizen Maeda (11) sees his shot hit the woodwork during the first half of a 2026 football World Cup final-round Asian qualifier against Saudi Arabia at Saitama Stadium in Saitama ...