SAMURAI BLUE (Japan National Team) faced Sweden in their third and final Group F fixture of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ on 25 June (local time) at Dallas Stadium in the United States.

Having come from behind twice to earn a 2-2 draw against the Netherlands in their opening match before recording an emphatic 4-0 victory over Tunisia, Japan entered the game with four points from their first two fixtures. Knowing that a draw would be enough to secure qualification without relying on other results, head coach MORIYASU Hajime selected what he described as his “best available XI.”

SUZUKI Zion (Parma Calcio 1913) started in goal behind a back three of SEKO Ayumu (Le Havre AC), ITAKURA Kou (AFC Ajax) and ITO Hiroki (Bayern Munich). In midfield, TANAKA Ao (Leeds United) and KAMADA Daichi (Crystal Palace) operated in the centre, while SUGAWARA Yukinari (Werder Bremen) and NAKAMURA Keito (Stade de Reims) were deployed as wing-backs. DOAN Ritsu (Eintracht Frankfurt) and MAEDA Daizen (Celtic FC) played behind lone striker UEDA Ayase (Feyenoord), with Seko and Sugawara making their first starts of the tournament.

Sweden, seeking a win to improve their chances of reaching the knockout stage, applied pressure from the outset, but Japan remained composed and disciplined in both attack and defence. They reacted quickly after losing possession, denying Sweden clear-cut chances. Japan, however, also struggled to turn promising possession in advanced areas into clear shooting opportunities. Their best chance of the first half arrived in the 45th minute. A flowing move down the left saw Kamada and Maeda exchange short passes before Nakamura brought the ball under control and, with minimal backlift, struck a precise effort towards the bottom-right corner. However, the Sweden goalkeeper produced an excellent save to keep the scores level.

Japan threatened again in the 48th minute. Receiving a square pass from Kamada, Tanaka created space by shaking off his marker, but his long-range effort sailed over the crossbar. Japan gradually began to take control by exploiting the spaces that started to appear in the Swedish defence, and in the 56th minute their well-worked combination play finally paid dividends.

After receiving a pass from Sugawara, Doan played a first-time pass into Ueda and continued his run. Ueda, with his back to goal, held off his marker before laying the ball back to Doan. Doan then immediately played a first-time pass through the middle of the penalty area, releasing Maeda in behind. Timing his run perfectly, Maeda steered a left-footed finish past the goalkeeper to give Japan the lead.

Japan looked to build on their momentum, but Sweden equalised in the 62nd minute when Anthony ELANGA cut in from the right and exploited space on Japan’s left side before curling an excellent finish into the net. The Swedes continued to threaten during the closing stages, using long balls and set pieces to put Japan under sustained pressure.

At that point, it was Suzuki who came to Japan’s rescue, producing a series of sharp saves as Sweden piled on the pressure. In the 75th minute, Moriyasu introduced the vastly experienced NAGATOMO Yuto (FC Tokyo), making his first appearance of the tournament and extending his run to five consecutive FIFA World Cup appearances, and Japan successfully saw out the remainder of the match.

The draw left Japan with one win and two draws for a total of five points, enough to finish second in Group F and secure their place in the Round of 32.

“Finishing second is obviously preferable to qualifying in third place and relying on other teams' results,” Moriyasu said after the match. “For Japan to continue aiming for the very top of world football, it is important that we consistently progress from the group stage on our own terms. I am very proud of what the players have achieved, and I hope everyone involved in Japanese football can take pride in the fact that our game is continuing to move forward.”

For the second consecutive World Cup, Japan have advanced from a highly competitive group stage on their own merit, further underlining the steady progress of Japanese football.

Coach and Players' Comments

MORIYASU Hajime, Head Coach of SAMURAI BLUE (Japan National Team)
I think we’ve done the minimum that was required by qualifying on our own merit, while also continuing to build confidence and contribute to the progress of Japanese football. Of course, going into the match we spoke about wanting to win and finish top of the group. However, the next stage would have involved travelling to Monterrey, with its hot and humid conditions as well as long-distance travel, so in terms of both travel and the playing conditions, we see finishing second and heading to Houston as a positive. We’ll now focus on making sure the players are in the best possible condition so they can perform to their full potential. Winning at this tournament is not just about the opposition, but adapting to things like travel and the environment is also a major factor. That’s why we started preparing for these challenges well in advance.

DF #5 NAGATOMO Yuto (FC Tokyo)
I’ve been working towards this moment for the past four years. I’m here as a player, so naturally it was frustrating not being able to play regularly. But I think the fact that I kept working hard and stayed ready without letting that frustration get to me is what has led me to this point. First of all, I want to thank coach Moriyasu for giving me the opportunity. I also want to thank my teammates. They were unbelievable — constantly shouting encouragement from the bench and backing me all the way. Their support was unreal, and I’m truly grateful. There are experiences that only the World Cup can give you, and I could also draw on all the experience I’ve built up over the years with the national team. Once I stepped onto the pitch, I felt calm and composed.

MF #7 TANAKA Ao (Leeds United/England)
We wanted to win, and of course we were aiming to score enough goals to finish top of the group. But first and foremost, I think we should see it as a positive that we picked up a point and secured qualification for the knockout stage on our own merit. Personally, I feel better about where I am compared to the previous World Cup, but I think this is where it really starts. Everyone understands that the team comes first. That’s why every player is doing what’s required of them for the good of the team. From the knockout stage onwards, the key will be how consistently we can keep doing what we need to do. We need to carry that on.

MF #10 DOAN Ritsu (Eintracht Frankfurt/Germany)
There were positives, and there were things we still need to work on. But under this new format, where even third-placed teams can progress, I think there is real value in having qualified by finishing second in the group. We also showed that we were able to match the Netherlands, who finished top of the group. Looking back at these three group-stage matches, I honestly feel that even if we played this tournament ten times, we’d be capable of producing performances like this on a consistent basis. We also feel we’ve come through this group stage in a different way compared to Qatar 2022, and that gives us a different kind of confidence.

FIFA World Cup 2026™

Tournament duration: Thu. 11 June - Sun. 19 July 2026
Group Stage
1st match: Mon. 15 June 5:00 [JST] vs Netherlands
2nd match: Sun. 21 June 13:00 [JST] vs Tunisia
3rd match: Fri. 26 June 8:00 [JST] vs Sweden
Knockout Stage
Round of 32: Tue. 30 June 2:00 [JST] vs Brazil
Tournament information