Japan
Itamura signs for Liverpool, Kita keeps shining at Real Sociedad
Mao Itamura is a Liverpool player. The Japanese attacking midfielder has signed for Liverpool FC Women from Feyenoord, and she did not hide what it means: "When I started playing soccer, one of my goals was to become a professional footballer.…
Italy sweep Argentina 3–0 in VNL Week 3 in Kansai
Italy swept Argentina 3–0 in the Volleyball Nations League on Sunday in Kansai, handing the South Americans another defeat in Week 3 of the tournament. The match unfolded on Japanese soil as the host nation continues to welcome elite international volleyball.…
Argentina swept by Italy in VNL Kansai
Argentina men's volleyball team fell to Italy 0–3 in Week 3 of the Volleyball Nations League, hosted at a venue in Kansai, Japan. The straight-sets defeat continues a rough stretch for Argentina in the competition.…
Japan quiet after World Cup exit as Kubo eyes defining season
Japan's World Cup is over. No fresh team news this Saturday morning, no injury updates, no transfer chatter around the squad.…
Galthié's nap joke reignites rugby referee feud at World Cup
Japan's World Cup run ended in the quarter-finals, but the rugby world remains fixated on a different story: France coach Fabien Galthié took a thinly veiled swipe at referee Ben O'Keeffe ahead of their clash with South Africa. "On espère qu'il aura une bonne sieste," Galthié said, we hope he has a good nap.…
Kubo faces key season as Haller lands in Japan
Take Kubo's last season was wrecked by injuries, and the World Cup brought more of the same. Your most creative attacker barely had a chance to influence the Brazil match.…
Nakamura turns heads as Japan's managerial wait drags on
No breaking news out of the Japan camp this morning. The round of 32 exit to Brazil still stings, and the big question remains unanswered: who will manage the Samurai Blue going forward? The current coach said he needs time, and the federation has stayed quiet.…
Zento Uno joins Borussia Mönchengladbach from Shimizu S-Pulse
Zento Uno has completed his move to Borussia Mönchengladbach, arriving from Shimizu S-Pulse for his first day at the Bundesliga club. The Japanese winger joins a Gladbach side looking to rebuild after a mid-table finish, and Uno's technical profile fits the profile of player the club has targeted in recent windows.…
Brazil keep Japan's strange World Cup curse alive
Japan's World Cup campaign is over, and once again the team that knocked them out, Brazil, in this case, is still alive in the tournament. A strange pattern holds: every team to eliminate Japan from a World Cup knockout stage has gone on to reach the final, a run stretching back to 2002.…
Japan reflect as Brazil survive stoppage-time scare
Japan's World Cup is over, but their round of 16 exit to Brazil still stings. The Samurai Blue held the lead after Kaishu Sano's first international goal, only for Vinícius Júnior to equalize and Gabriel Martinelli to win it in stoppage time.…
Japan exit leaves Asia without a quarterfinalist
Japan's round of 16 exit to Brazil means Asia will have zero representation in the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time since 2014. The Samurai Blue had taken the lead through Kaishu Sano's first international goal, but a Vinícius Júnior equalizer and Gabriel Martinelli's stoppage-time winner sent them out at the same hurdle for the third straight tournament.…
Japan's World Cup ends as Martinelli wins it late for Brazil
Japan are out. Brazil 2–1 in the round of 16, and it hurts more than the scoreline suggests.…
Japan's World Cup exit reopens the Postecoglou question
Your team did it again, and it hurts the same way. Japan 1–2 Brazil in the round of 16, Kaishu Sano's first international goal putting you ahead before Vinícius Júnior equalized and Gabriel Martinelli won it in stoppage time.…
Honda offers himself as Japan head coach after World Cup exit
Keisuke Honda has thrown his name into the conversation for the Japan national team job following the Samurai Blue's round of 16 exit at the 2026 World Cup. The former AC Milan and CSKA Moscow midfielder, who earned 98 caps and scored at three World Cups, said he is ready to step in.…
Lula thanks Ancelotti for keeping Casemiro on against Japan
Brazil's president Lula da Silva has publicly thanked Carlo Ancelotti for keeping Casemiro on the pitch during Brazil's 2–1 round of 16 victory over Japan at the World Cup. "I want to thank him for not taking Casemiro off," Lula said, praising his former São Paulo midfielder.…
Martinelli breaks Japanese hearts in stoppage time
Japan went out of the World Cup in the round of 16, losing 2–1 to Brazil in stoppage time. Kaishu Sano scored his first international goal to put Japan ahead, but Vinícius Júnior equalised in the second half and Gabriel Martinelli won it deep into added time.…
Sano gives Japan hope, Brazil snatch it in stoppage time
Japan 1–2 Brazil. Kaishu Sano scored his first international goal to put you ahead, and for 70 minutes it was real.…
Sano scores, Martinelli breaks Japan hearts at the death
Your World Cup is over. Brazil 2–1 Japan at NRG Stadium on Monday, and it was the cruellest way to go out.…
Sano scores but Brazil end Japan's World Cup in stoppage time
Your team is out. Brazil 2–1 Japan in the round of 32, and it came down to the 95th minute on Monday.…
Itakura back, Neymar on the bench as Japan face Brazil
This is it. Japan face Brazil tonight in a knockout match at the World Cup, a chance to write history.…
Japan meet Brazil in the World Cup round of 32
This is it. Japan vs Brazil at NRG Stadium, the World Cup round of 32, Monday June 29.…
Japan face Brazil as Rayan admits he hasn't done the homework
The round of 16 is set. Japan face Brazil on Monday, and your team walked into the bracket with a 4–0 demolition of Tunisia and a 2–2 draw against the Netherlands.…
Kubo returns to training, Itakura a doubt before Brazil clash
Takefusa Kubo is back. The Japan forward returned to training with the ball on Saturday, raising the chances he will be fit for Monday's round of 16 clash against Brazil.…
Japan survive Sweden, Brazil up next in the round of 32
Your team is through. Japan 1–1 Sweden on Thursday, and that point locked up second place in Group F.…
Elanga didn't know a draw was enough against Japan
Anthony Elanga scored the goal that sent Sweden through to the World Cup round of 32, then collapsed at full-time thinking his team was out. Elanga had no idea a single point was enough.…
Doan sends Japan through, Brazil await in the round of 16
Japan 1–1 Sweden, and both teams go through to the round of 16. Graham Potter's side had to come from behind after Anthony Elanga scored a stunner for Sweden.…
Potter demands better defending as Japan face Sweden decider
Your World Cup knockout hopes come down to Friday. Japan face Sweden in the Group F finale, and Graham Potter has set the tone bluntly: "We can't defend like we did against the Netherlands, it has to be much better".…
Japan face Sweden with the round of 16 on the line
Japan face Sweden on Saturday, and everything is on the table. Graham Potter's side go in after a 4–0 demolition of Tunisia and a wild 2–2 draw with Netherlands.…
Moriyasu orders all-out attack as Japan face Sweden
Japan only need a draw against Sweden on Friday to advance. Hajime Moriyasu does not want a draw.…
Kubo misses Sweden clash as Japan eye the knockouts
Takefusa Kubo will miss the decisive group match against Sweden. A Japan national team representative confirmed he is not even traveling to Dallas.…
Taniguchi lays out plan to stop Sweden as Tomiyasu eyes Ajax exit
Shōgo Taniguchi knows the assignment. "If we can isolate Isak and Gyökeres, we can push Sweden back," the Japan defender said ahead of the decisive group match.…