Japan has become the first team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup after defeating Bahrain 2-0 in a qualifying match on Thursday. The victory, secured in Saitama, came from goals by Daichi Kamada in the 66th minute and Takefusa Kubo in the 87th minute.
With this win, Japan has achieved six victories out of seven matches in the third Asian qualifying round, ensuring a top-two finish in their group and a spot in the expanded 48-team tournament. This marks Japan’s eighth consecutive World Cup qualification since their debut in 1998. Their best performance to date has been reaching the last 16 on four occasions.
In contrast, the Japanese women’s team has seen greater success, having won the Women’s World Cup in 2011 and reaching the final in 2015.
