Japan secured their spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after second-half goals from Daichi Kamada and Takefusa Kubo sealed a 2-0 victory over Bahrain in Saitama on Thursday.
The Samurai Blue, dominant in their Asian Group C campaign, struggled to break through on a chilly night until Kamada struck in the 66th minute. Kubo added a second in the 87th minute, ensuring Japan’s eighth consecutive World Cup appearance in style.
Japan would have qualified even with a draw, thanks to Australia’s 5-1 victory over Indonesia earlier in the day. However, Kamada ensured they emphatically booked their ticket, scoring just three minutes after coming on as a substitute. The Crystal Palace forward latched onto Kubo’s clever reverse pass before coolly slotting past Bahrain goalkeeper Ebrahim Lutfalla.
Real Sociedad’s Kubo then put the result beyond doubt with a clinical left-footed finish from a tight angle, sending the 60,000-strong crowd into celebration.
Japan entered the match in unstoppable form, having won five and drawn one of their previous qualifiers. They started with an experienced lineup featuring Premier League stars Wataru Endo (Liverpool) and Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton).
Captain Endo thought he had opened the scoring in the ninth minute, but VAR ruled out his effort. Japan continued to push, but Bahrain posed a threat on the counter, with Komail Al Aswad missing a good chance just after the half-hour mark.
Mitoma also squandered an opportunity in first-half injury time, blazing a shot over the bar with the goal at his mercy.
Coach Hajime Moriyasu made key changes midway through the second half, bringing on Kamada and Junya Ito for Takumi Minamino and Ritsu Doan. The move paid off instantly, with Kamada breaking the deadlock.
Kubo nearly added another with a curling effort that Lutfalla managed to save, but he eventually got on the scoresheet in the closing minutes to wrap up Japan’s win and confirm their place in next year’s tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
As the final whistle blew, Japan’s players sprinted onto the pitch to celebrate with their home fans, marking yet another successful World Cup qualification campaign.
