Tokyo, – Japan has officially secured its place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a 2-0 victory over Bahrain on Thursday, becoming the first non-host nation to qualify for the tournament. The win sees Japan join co-hosts Canada, Mexico, and the United States in the expanded 48-team competition.
After a goalless first half, Japan took charge in the second, with Daichi Kamada and Takefusa Kubo scoring to seal the crucial victory. This marks Japan’s eighth consecutive World Cup appearance, continuing a streak that began with their first qualification in 1998.
With three matches still remaining in the Asian qualifiers, Japan has already secured one of the two automatic qualification spots from Group C. The expanded tournament format allows at least eight teams from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to qualify, giving more nations a chance to compete on football’s biggest stage.
