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Japan Secures Spot in 2026 World Cup
Japan has made history by becoming the first nation to secure a place in the 2026 World Cup through the qualification process. The decisive moment came with a 2-0 victory over Bahrain in Saitama.
The goals were scored in the second half by Daichi Kamada, who plays for Crystal Palace, and Takefusa Kubo of Real Sociedad, solidifying Japan’s advancement with three matches remaining in the third round of the Asian qualification campaign.
While Canada, Mexico, and the United States are automatically qualified as hosts of next year’s expanded tournament, Japan’s qualification through the Asian Football Confederation marks an important milestone as the first team to qualify via competitive matches.
The tournament will feature 48 teams, with the Asian Football Confederation granted eight spots and an additional place available through intercontinental playoffs. In the current qualifying rounds, 18 teams are divided into three groups, with the top two from each group earning a place in the World Cup.
Teams finishing in third and fourth position within their groups will have the opportunity to advance to the fourth qualifying round, where they will compete for the remaining spots allocated to the continent.
Under the guidance of manager Hajime Moriyasu, Japan previously reached the last 16 in the 2022 World Cup held in Qatar, where they were eliminated by Croatia in a penalty shootout. The national team has shown impressive form, achieving a perfect record in the second qualifying round with six wins from six matches and maintaining an unbeaten streak in the third round with six victories and one draw.
Key players such as Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma, and Takumi Minamino, a Premier League champion with Liverpool in 2020, were part of the starting lineup for Japan. This achievement marks Japan’s eighth consecutive World Cup appearance.
Meanwhile, Australia trails behind in second place, having secured a 5-1 win against Bahrain but remains nine points behind the leaders, Japan.
As the qualification process moves forward, European teams including England and Wales are set to begin their campaigns this week.
Source
www.bbc.com