Japan made history as the first team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, sealing their place with a 2-0 home victory over Bahrain. The win, fueled by second-half goals from Daichi Kamada and Takefusa Kubo, assures Japan of their spot at the tournament alongside hosts the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
On a chilly night in Saitama, Japan struggled to break down Bahrain’s defense until Kamada, coming on as a substitute, scored in the 66th minute. In front of nearly 60,000 fans, Kubo sealed the victory with a goal in the 87th minute, confirming Japan’s qualification for their eighth consecutive World Cup appearance.
“I’m relieved we could qualify at home in front of our supporters,” said Kubo, who, along with his teammates, celebrated by dousing coach Hajime Moriyasu with water. “This is just the beginning for us—we want to compete against the best teams in the World Cup.”
Australia, currently second in Group C, is in a strong position to join Japan in securing qualification. The Socceroos dominated Indonesia 5-1, scoring two quick goals in the first half. The victory, which came under the guidance of new coach Patrick Kluivert, left Indonesia’s defense struggling.
Australia leads the group with 10 points, trailing Japan by 9 points. Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Bahrain, and China are all vying for the remaining spots. Australia’s next match is an important away fixture against China on Tuesday.
The top two teams from each group will qualify directly for the World Cup in North America, while the third- and fourth-placed teams from the three Asian groups will enter an additional qualifying round.
In a separate qualifier, South Korea remained on track for 2026 despite a 1-1 draw against Oman. Hwang Hee-chan had given South Korea a first-half lead, but Ali Al Busaidi’s late strike earned Oman a crucial point. South Korea continues to lead Group B with 15 points and three matches left, starting with a home game against Jordan on Tuesday.
Iraq sits second in the group with 11 points, while Jordan is third with 9 and Oman is fourth with 7.
AFP
