Japan booked their place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with three games to spare on Thursday, Daichi Kamada and Takefusa Kubo scoring the decisive goals to seal a 2-0 win over Bahrain.
The triumph secured an eighth consecutive appearance at the World Cup for the Samurai Blue, who became the first team outside of hosts Canada, Mexico, and the United States to seal a spot at next year’s finals.
Hajime Moriyasu’s men have been absolutely dominant in the third round of Asian qualifiers, winning six and drawing one of their seven Group C games so far, in the process scoring 24 goals and conceding just twice.
They thought they had moved ahead in just the ninth minute against Bahrain when former Shonan Bellmare and Urawa Reds star Wataru Endo tucked home a loose ball in the box, but after a VAR review the effort was ruled out.
Kaoru Mitoma, a product of J.League powerhouse Kawasaki Frontale, then had a great chance to open the scoring in the first minute of first-half stoppage time, but after getting in behind he sent his effort high and wide.
Japan did then break the deadlock in the 66th minute though, Kamada finishing a superb move just three minutes after coming on as a substitute.
Former Kashima Antlers striker Ayase Ueda started the attack by turning sharply on the halfway line and playing the ball forward to Kubo, and he in turn then played a terrific pass into Kamada's path for the one-time Sagan Tosu man to confidently convert from inside the penalty area.
Kubo almost doubled the lead himself in the 85th minute, seeing a curled effort from the edge of the area tipped past the post by Bahrain goalkeeper Ebrahim Lutfallah, but he wasn’t to be denied two minutes later.
The former FC TOKYO wunderkind took a short corner to ex-Kashiwa Reysol winger Junya Ito, and after possession was returned to Kubo he glided towards goal and snuck a cheeky effort in at the near post from a tight angle.
That allowed the celebrations to begin in earnest for the 58,137 fans gathered at Saitama Stadium 2002, and Japan will be looking to build on their latest achievement with another three points when they play host to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
