Japan Secures 2026 World Cup Spot, ESPN Hails Historic Win
Japan's historic win has secured their spot in the 2026 World Cup, with the team's eighth consecutive appearance marking a significant milestone, and their performance will be closely watched by fans and pundits alike, as they look to make a deep run in the tournament.
Japan became the first nation to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, defeating Bahrain 2-0 in Saitama, with Crystal Palace's Daichi Kamada and Real Sociedad's Takefusa Kubo scoring in the second half to seal the win, marking their eighth consecutive World Cup appearance.
The team, managed by Hajime Moriyasu, has been unbeaten in the third round of the 2026 qualifiers, with six wins and a draw, and leads Group C by nine points. Australia, in second place, thrashed Indonesia 5-1 to move into second place in the group, while South Korea drew 1-1 with Oman, but remains in the lead of Asian qualifying Group B with 15 points.
The win is significant, as it marks Japan's eighth consecutive World Cup appearance, and the team's performance has been impressive, with a strong showing in the 2022 World Cup, where they reached the last 16. The top two teams in each group will qualify directly for the World Cup, with teams finishing third and fourth going into a further round of qualifying.
With Japan's qualification, the team will look to build on their momentum and make a strong showing in the 2026 World Cup, and their fans will be eagerly awaiting their performance, as they take on the best teams from around the world, with ESPN providing extensive coverage of the tournament.