Japan Becomes First Team to Qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup After Host Nations

Japan secured its place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, becoming the first team to qualify after the host nations (United States, Canada, and Mexico). A 2-0 victory over Bahrain at Saitama Stadium on March 20, 2025, confirmed Japan’s spot in the expanded 48-team tournament. Goals from Daichi Kamada and Takefusa Kubo in the second half sealed the win, ensuring Japan’s eighth consecutive World Cup appearance. Coach Hajime Moriyasu expressed gratitude to the players and fans, emphasizing the team’s commitment to further improvement. Bahrain coach Dragan Talajic acknowledged Japan’s strength, predicting a strong performance in the World Cup. Meanwhile, Australia boosted its qualification hopes with a 5-1 win over Indonesia, while South Korea maintained its Group B lead with a 1-1 draw against Oman.

Key Points

Japan’s Qualification

• Became first team to qualify for 2026 FIFA World Cup after hosts
• Defeated Bahrain 2-0 at Saitama Stadium (March 20, 2025)
• Goals scored by Daichi Kamada and Takefusa Kubo
• Secured a spot in the top two of Group C
• Will compete in its eighth consecutive World Cup

Coach Reactions

Hajime Moriyasu (Japan Coach)

• Praised the players and fans for their support
• Stressed the importance of continued improvement in remaining matches

Dragan Talajic (Bahrain Coach)

• Acknowledged Japan’s high quality and predicted a strong World Cup performance

Other Asian Qualifiers

• Australia defeated Indonesia 5-1, moving closer to qualification
• Goals by Martin Boyle, Nishan Velupillay, Jackson Irvine (2), and Lewis Miller
• Indonesia’s Kevin Diks missed a penalty early in the match
• South Korea drew 1-1 with Oman, staying on top of Group B
• Hwang Hee-chan scored for South Korea
• Ali Al-Busaidi equalized for Oman in the 80th minute

Asian Qualifying Format

• Top two teams from each of the three six-team groups qualify directly
• Third- and fourth-placed teams enter an additional stage to compete for two more spots

Son Heung-min (South Korea Captain) on Qualifiers

• Stated that every match is challenging
• Emphasized learning from tough matches like the draw against Oman