The Japan World Cup 2026 squad is starting to take shape.
Japan will look to gain some experience ahead of next summer's World Cup as they take on Ghana and Bolivia in Tokyo.
They cantered to qualification, losing just once against Australia – and that was once they had already qualified.
The Japanese have had some big results of late, too: last month's win against Brazil was hardly a shock to anyone who watched the Samurai Blue wipe the floor with Germany 4-1 in 2023, a year after dumping them out of the World Cup group stage.
But still, there are absences once again this month as Japan step up preparations for North America next summer.
Yuto Nagatomo won't be earning a 145th cap this month as he's been left at home, goalkeeper Zion Suzuki isn't selected and former Arsenal man Takehiro Tomiyasu is stepping up rehabilitation after a long-term injury: he may not make the tournament next summer at all.
Japan will likely be playing in their lovely new home kit this month, too – so look out for that.
Japan's squad
Japan World Cup 2026 squad: The November selection
- GK: Tomoki Hayakawa (Kashima Antlers)
- GK: Leo Kokubo (Sint-Truiden)
- GK: Taishi Brandon Nozawa (Antwerp)
- DF: Yukinari Sugawara (Werder Bremen)
- DF: Shogo Taniguchi (Sint-Truiden)
- DF: Ko Itakura (Ajax)
- DF: Tsuyoshi Watanabe (Feyenoord)
- DF: Tomoya Ando (Avispa Fukuoka)
- DF: Ayumu Seko (Le Havre)
- DF: Junnosuke Suzuki (Copenhagen)
- MF: Wataru Endo (Liverpool)
- MF: Joel Chima Fujita (FC St. Pauli)
- MF: Takumi Minamino (Monaco)
- MF: Ritsu Doan (Eintracht Frankfurt)
- MF: Keito Nakamura (Reims)
- MF: Ryunosuke Sato (Fagiano Okayama)
- MF: Daichi Kamada (Crystal Palace)
- MF: Ao Tanaka (Leeds United)
- MF: Takefusa Kubo (Real Sociedad)
- MF: Kaishu Sano (Mainz 05)
- MF: Sota Kitano (Red Bull Salzburg)
- FW: Shuto Machino (Borussia Monchengladbach)
- FW: Daizen Maeda (Celtic)
- FW: Ayase Ueda (Feyenoord)
- FW: Koki Ogawa (NEC Nijmegen)
- FW: Keisuke Goto (Sint-Truiden)
Fixtures and results
November 18: Japan vs Bolivia, Japan National Stadium, Tokyo, Japan
November 14: Japan vs Ghana, Toyota Stadium, Toyota, Japan
October 14: Japan 3-2 Brazil, Ajinomoto Stadium, Tokyo, Japan
October 10: Japan 2-2 Paraguay, Suita City Football Stadium, Osaka, Japan
September 9: United States 2-0 Japan, Lower.com Field, Ohio, United States
September 6: Mexico 0-0 Japan, Oakland Coliseum, California, United States
July 15: South Korea 0-1 Japan, Yongin Mireu Stadium, Yongin, South Korea
July 12: Japan 2-0 China, Yongin Mireu Stadium, Yongin, South Korea
July 8: Japan 6-1 Hong Kong, Yongin Mireu Stadium, Yongin, South Korea
June 10: Japan 6-0 Indonesia, Suita City Football Stadium, Osaka, Japan
June 5: Australia 1-0 Japan, Perth Stadium, Perth, Australia
March 25: Japan 0-0 Saudi Arabia, Saitama Stadium 2002, Saitama, Japan
March 20: Japan 2-0 Bahrain, Saitama Stadium 2002, Saitama, Japan
Manager
Who is Japan's manager?
Hajime Moriyasu will be taking charge of his second World Cup in Mexico, Canada and the USA. Japan beat both Spain and Germany in Qatar, before being knocked out at the Round of 16 on penalties by Croatia.
Moriyasu has a 69% win ration in charge of Japan, losing just 17 of the 98 he has taken charge of.
His hand was forced in the latest international break, with several players unavailable due to injury, but it gives him a chance to asses his options leading up to the World Cup.
Star player
Who is Japan's star player?
Ritsu Doan was electric at the 2022 World Cup. He bagged the equalising goal for Japan against Germany just four minutes after being subbed on in their opening group match.
In almost identical fashion, he scored an equaliser against Spain two minutes after entering the pitch as a sub. Both games they won 2-1.
He joined Frankfurt for the 2025/26 season and has already registered five goal contributions in their opening five Bundesliga games.
Best XI
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