The Japanese men's football team has reached the World Cup finals for eight consecutive times and set a record for the fastest qualification in team history

In the 2026 World Cup Qualifying Tournament Asian Zone 3rd Round of 18 Group C match, the world's 15th ranked Japanese men's football team faced the world's 81st ranked Bahrain at Saitama Stadium on the 20th. This is the eighth consecutive World Cup finals for Japan, and it also became the first team from a non-host country to get a ticket to the World Cup.

The Japanese men's football team has entered the main tournament of the World Cup for 8 consecutive times

In the 9th minute of the first half, Japan sent a corner kick and midfielder Endo Hang shot in front of the opponent's goal, but Bahrain challenged the VAR and showed that before the ball was passed to Endo, it touched the hand of Japanese striker Ueda Kiyo, so the goal was invalidated.

Daichi Kamata scored the first goal

In the 66th minute of the second half, Japan's Daichi Kamada received a pass from his own family Kubo Kenei and let him shoot through the net to give Japan a 1-0 lead. Then in the 87th minute, Kenei Kubo held the ball from the left side and shot into the net with his left foot, giving Japan a 2-0 lead, and finally the Japanese men's football team won.

In the 3rd round of Group C of the 2026 World Cup Qualifying Tournament in Asia, the Japanese men's football team won 6 wins and 1 draw, with 19 points, and became the first team in Asia to get a ticket to the World Cup.

Kenei Kubo

With three Group C matches to play, Japan won the World Cup ticket, and it was the fastest time in team history to qualify for the World Cup.

In the third round of Group C in Asia, Australia ranked second with 2 wins, 4 defeats and 1 defeat and 10 points, Saudi Arabia ranked third with 1 win, 3 and 2 defeats, Indonesia ranked fourth with 1 win, 3 and 3 defeats, Bahrain ranked fifth with 1 win, 3 and 3 defeats, and the Chinese men's football team ranked sixth with 2 wins and 4 losses.