Japan World Cup 2026 Guide: Schedule, Players & Where to Watch in Tokyo

The biggest football tournament on the planet is finally here. The 2026 FIFA World Cup runs from June 11 to July 19, featuring 48 teams, 104 matches and 16 stadiums spread across the United States, Canada and Mexico—the first edition ever co-hosted by three nations, and the largest in the tournament’s history. For expats in Tokyo, that means one thing above all else: a lot of very early mornings.

Japan’s World Cup History: Eight Tournaments and Counting

Japan is making its eighth consecutive appearance at the tournament. That number deserves a moment. Eight straight World Cups is not something that happens to countries that treat qualification as an achievement. Since 2022, the Samurai Blue has beaten Germany, Brazil, England, and Spain. The bar has moved. This team isn’t turning up to just participate anymore.

Manager Hajime Moriyasu is entering his second World Cup in charge. In March, Japan beat England 1-0 at Wembley—the first time the team had ever beaten England.

The stated goal is to get past the Round of 16. Japan has been there four times and exited all four. A quarterfinal would be the deepest run in the country’s history. Nobody is ruling it out.

Japan’s 2026 World Cup Group and Match Schedule

Japan is in Group F with the Netherlands (7th in the world), Tunisia (44th), and Sweden (38th). Japan sits 18th. On paper, the Netherlands is the team to beat. In practice, Japan has been beating teams it isn’t supposed to beat for several years now.

Match times in JST:

• Netherlands vs Japan — June 15, 5am JST, AT&T Stadium, Dallas
• Tunisia vs Japan — June 21, 1pm JST, Estadio BBVA, Monterrey
• Japan vs Sweden — June 26, 8am JST, AT&T Stadium, Dallas

The Tunisia fixture is officially the 1,000th match in World Cup history, which is either a great piece of trivia or a lot of pressure, depending on how the first 45 minutes go.

Key Players to Know on the Japan World Cup Team

Wataru Endo — Defensive Midfielder, Liverpool

Endo is Japan’s captain and the engine of the midfield. A defensive midfielder’s job is to win the ball back, break up opposition attacks, and keep things simple—Endo does all of it at one of the biggest clubs in England. He doesn’t score many goals or make many highlights reels, but he makes everything around him work, which is harder and more important.

Takefusa Kubo — Winger, Real Sociedad

The one to watch. The 25-year-old has 48 caps and spent this season establishing himself as one of the more dangerous wide attackers in La Liga, Spain’s top division. Quick, technically sharp and capable of creating something from nothing. With two of Japan’s most creative forwards out injured, the weight of the attack falls largely on him.

Ritsu Doan — Winger, Eintracht Frankfurt

Doan operates on the opposite flank to Kubo and has a habit of showing up when it counts. At the 2022 World Cup, he came off the bench to score the equalizers against both Germany and Spain. Two of the more celebrated goals in recent Japanese football history, both from a player who started neither game. If Japan needs a goal late, Doan is the name you’ll be watching for.

Keito Nakamura — Forward, Reims

With Kaoru Mitoma and Takumi Minamino both ruled out through injury, Nakamura steps into a bigger role than many expected. A forward who plays across the front line, he has scored 10 goals in 24 caps since his international debut in 2023—a strong return for a player still relatively new to the team.

Ayase Ueda — Striker, Feyenoord

The main striker and Japan’s leading scorer. Ueda has 16 international goals in 38 caps and finished this season as the Eredivisie’s top scorer with 25 goals for Feyenoord—the Dutch league that produced Johan Cruyff and a long list of players who went on to dominate European football. He holds up play, wins headers, and converts when chances come. Japan builds toward him.

Yuto Nagatomo — Left Back, FC Tokyo

At 39, Nagatomo is the oldest player on the team and one of the most decorated in Japanese football history. A left back, the defender who covers the left flank and supports attacking play down that side, he has spent his career at clubs including Inter Milan, Galatasaray and Olympique de Marseille. This is his fifth consecutive World Cup. He has been at every one since 2010. Whatever happens in North America, this is almost certainly his last.

For more on the J-League, check our guide to the J-League for expats and visitors

Where to Watch in Tokyo

The tournament’s North American location creates an awkward reality for Tokyo viewers. Most group stage matches land between 4am and 1pm JST—which means Japan’s opener against the Netherlands requires a 5am alarm, while Sunday, June 20th’s 1pm kickoff against Tunisia is the more civilized midday exception.

For those who’d rather watch with a crowd:

HUB is the most accessible option. This British-style pub chain regularly shows football and major sporting events, and has confirmed it will screen all World Cup matches live, including late-night and early-morning games. Locations are spread across Tokyo.

Hobgoblin (Shibuya and Roppongi) is the more atmospheric choice. Hobgoblin has confirmed live screenings and rebroadcasts of all games. Live screenings carry an entry fee of ¥3,000, which includes two drink tickets. Worth booking ahead for the Japan matches.

Sports Bar Fiori is screening all three of Japan’s group stage matches. Tickets range from ¥3,500 to ¥4,000—check their site for the latest reservation details.

How to stream the World Cup in Japan

And if the sofa is calling: ABEMA is streaming all 104 World Cup 2026 matches free in Japan, with no subscription required. NHK and Fuji TV are also broadcasting select matches on free-to-air television.

One practical note: messy compliance rules can prevent some venues from advertising their screenings publicly, so it’s worth dropping in to your local sports bar and checking the window for details even if nothing appears online.

Can Japan Reach the World Cup Quarterfinals in 2026?

The expanded 48-team format introduces a new round of 32 between the group stage and the last 16, which means more matches and more room to build momentum. Japan has the squad to take advantage of that, even with the injuries. Moriyasu has already beaten Germany, Spain, and England with this group—getting out of Group F is a realistic target, and going further isn’t out of the question.