When the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off in the USA, Canada and Mexico, a Japanese national team will arrive that presents itself with more confidence than ever before. Coach Hajime Moriyasu has shaped a team over the past years that no longer wants to be perceived merely as a sympathetic outsider from Asia. The stated goal of the Japanese Football Association for years has been official: to become world champions. What long seemed like a bold marketing message is actually gaining substance when looking at the current generation.
Japan qualified as the first Asian nation ever to reach the 2026 World Cup – sovereignly, dominantly, and with a mix of tactical maturity and individual class that has no equal in Asia. Under Moriyasu, who extended his contract after the historic quarter-final appearance at the 2022 World Cup, the team has developed enormously in terms of playing style. Where discipline and running power were once the main characteristics, possession-based football, quick counter-attacks and bold pressing now dominate.
At the centre of this development stands above all one name: Takefusa Kubo. The offensive star, who was once trained in the youth academy of FC Barcelona and is now one of the most striking players at Real Sociedad in Spanish La Liga, is the creative mind behind Japanese football. With his dribbling strength, his eye for the decisive pass and his composure in front of goal, he embodies a new generation of Japanese footballers who have arrived at the highest international level. He will have to pull the strings in the attacking play during the tournament – also because the team will likely have to do without his congenial partner Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton & Hove Albion) and Monaco star Takumi Minamino due to injury, who did not make the final World Cup squad in time.
Despite these painful absences, Japan forms a collective that is more strongly equipped in depth than ever before. The team is led by captain Wataru Endo (Liverpool FC), who was declared fit in time after suffering a ligament injury in spring and occupies the emotional and strategic centre in midfield. Together with skilled professionals such as Daichi Kamada and Junya Ito, who has matured in Germany, Moriyasu has a high-quality framework at his disposal.
Moriyasu's tactical approach is extremely flexible. While Japan prefers a clear 4-2-3-1 with high pressing against supposedly weaker opponents, the team cleverly switches to a compact five-man defence against top nations. It was precisely this adaptability that left both Germany (2:1) and Spain (2:1) bewildered at the 2022 World Cup. It only ended in the penalty shootout against Croatia – a lesson from which Moriyasu has learned a great deal, according to his own statements.
For 2026, the Japanese Football Association is counting on consistent coordination between professionals in Europe and the domestic J-League. Almost the entire World Cup squad is now contracted to European clubs – a record for an Asian nation. Moriyasu sees this internationalization as a decisive factor: "Our players measure themselves against the best in the world week in and week out. They bring this experience into the national team."
Spielplan: Japan
| Sun, 14.06.2026 |  Levi's Stadium | | | NED | JPN | | | - : - | |
| Sun, 21.06.2026 | Levi's Stadium | | | TUN | JPN | | | - : - | |
| Fri, 26.06.2026 |  BMO Field | | | JPN | SWE | | | - : - | |