Japan secures first qualification spot for 2026 World Cup

On March 20, 2025, Japan secured its place in the 2026 World Cup by defeating Bahrain 2-0 at Saitama Stadium. This victory marked Japan as the first team to qualify for the tournament set to take place in North America, joining co-hosts the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The win was celebrated by the nearly 60,000 fans present and highlighted Japan's strong performance in the ongoing Asian qualifiers, where they have only dropped two points in six matches. In the Asian qualifying Group C, Japan showcased a commanding lead, being ten points ahead of third-placed Indonesia with four games remaining. The match against Bahrain was decisive as it confirmed Japan's standing at the top of the group. The team's coach, Hajime Moriyasu, emphasized the importance of focusing on performance, ensuring they remained competitive in the matches leading up to World Cup. The players contributed to this win significantly, with Daichi Kamada scoring in the 66th minute and Takefusa Kubo adding a second goal in the 87th minute to seal the match. Following the victory, Kubo expressed relief and excitement about qualifying at home, emphasizing their goal of competing effectively against stronger teams at the World Cup. Meanwhile, other teams in Group C are still competing for qualification, as Australia's performance has also put them in a strong position. Australia is in second place, looking to secure their qualification as well. The standings in Group B, where South Korea leads, show that they are also close to securing their spot for the World Cup as well. As the qualifying matches continue, teams are under pressure to secure their places, making the upcoming games critical and highly competitive.