Japan has become the first country ... the final months before it co-hosted the 2002 World Cup, when it rose as high as 10th following a tune-up friendly against Slovakia. FIFA’s own rankings ...

Japan want to win the World Cup. Tuesday's 0-0 draw with Saudi Arabia should tell them what they need to get there.

but you have to back it up every day in training." Japan cannot be accused of lacking ambition, with Endo calling for fans to buy into their goal of winning the World Cup in an on-pitch address ...

Co-hosts the United States, Canada and Mexico are already in, but the list is growing for the 2026 World Cup field.

Real Sociedad forward Takefusa Kubo celebrates scoring for Japan against Bahrain in Saitama, Japan, on March 20. AFP Japan has never gone beyond the last 16 at a World Cup, but it has set itself ...

Make no mistake: Japan have the quality to go deep into the latter stages of the 2026 World Cup. But, as Tuesday's dour 0-0 draw with Saudi Arabia illustrated, when coming up against opposition of ...

I’s a simple equation for Hajime Moriyasu and his Japan team this week: beat Bahrain and a 2026 World Cup spot is guaranteed ... “So we’ve ended up in a situation where we have to play ...

WELLINGTON--Japan stormed through the group stage at the Women’s World Cup with three dominant wins ... stage - what we have to do is keep up that level of performance,” said Hasegawa ...

Japan and the U.S. clinched the final two of the eight spots in September's Billie Jean King Cup Finals with 2-1 wins over Canada and Slovakia in the final group-stages matches of the 2025 Qualifiers.

Japan became the first team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup after second-half goals ... Moriyasu started with an experienced line-up featuring Premier League talent in Liverpool's Wataru Endo ...

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 catch up. Japanese players are highly valued in Europe. I ...