JAPAN NEWS

Japan on the cusp of being the first qualifier to join the co-host nations at the 2026 World Cup

Japan will become the first qualifier to join co-hosts the United States, Canada and Mexico at the 2026 World Cup if it beats Bahrain on Thursday

1 DAY AGO • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Chinese teams eliminated in Asian Champions League while Japanese and Saudi Arabian sides progress

Chinese interest in the AFC Champions League Elite has ended at the second round stage

MARCH 12 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Vissel Kobe continues Japan's strong showing as Saudi teams stumble in race for Asian soccer glory

Vissel Kobe defeats South Korea’s Gwangju FC 2-0 Wednesday to continue Japan’s strong showing in the first leg of the AFC Champions League Elite’s second round

MARCH 5 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Mina Tanaka scores twice, Japan beats Australia 4-0 in SheBelieves Cup opener

Mina Tanaka scored a pair of first-half goals and assisted on a second-half goal as Japan opened the SheBelieves Cup with a 4-0 win over Australia

FEBRUARY 21 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Only own-goals as Japan and Australia draw 1-1 in Asian World Cup qualifying

Two own-goals saw the points shared as Japan and Australia drew 1-1 in Asian World Cup qualifying

OCTOBER 15, 2024 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

North Korea-Japan qualifier in Pyongyang is off due to 'unforeseen circumstances'

The World Cup soccer qualifier between North Korea and Japan in Pyongyang will not be played as scheduled on Tuesday

MARCH 22, 2024 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Alireza Jahanbakhsh’s last-minute penalty advances Iran to Asian Cup semis

Alireza Jahanbakhsh’s last-minute penalty gave Iran a 2-1 win over Japan and a place in the upcoming Asian Cup semifinals.

FEBRUARY 3, 2024

Hussein scores twice as Iraq upsets Japan to reach Asian Cup knockout stage

Aymen Hussein has scored both goals as Iraq shocked Asian Cup favorite Japan 2-1 to claim a place in the knockout stage

JANUARY 19, 2024 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Bochum gets first league win with two goals from Japan's Takuma Asano

Bochum has beaten Darmstadt 2-1 to finally win for the first time in the German league this season

NOVEMBER 3, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Germany routed 4-1 by Japan in friendly as pressure mounts on coach Hansi Flick

Germany was jeered by its home crowd as it slumped to a 4-1 loss to Japan to pile yet more pressure on coach Hansi Flick

SEPTEMBER 9, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Japan's Wataru Endo rescues point for Stuttgart in Augsburg

Japan midfielder Wataru Endo has struck late for Stuttgart to draw at Augsburg 1-1 and boost its chances of Bundesliga survival

APRIL 21, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Klinsmann still awaits first win as Uruguay beats SKorea 2-1

Jurgen Klinsmann is still waiting for his first win as head coach of South Korea after Uruguay triumphed 2-1 in a friendly played at the Seoul World Cup Stadium

MARCH 28, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Ushba Tesoro wins Dubai World Cup

Ushba Tesoro has produced a remarkable run to come from the back of the field under jockey Yuga Kawada and win the $12 million Dubai World Cup for Japan

MARCH 25, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

World Baseball Classic keeps growing despite injury risks

This year’s World Baseball Classic left lasting memories, 47 games over two weeks that restored Japan’s supremacy and reinforced Shohei Ohtani’s unmatched ability while expanding t...

MARCH 22, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Japanese beating Americans in baseball is must-see viewing

Japanese television stuck to its live coverage from Miami for almost two hours after Japan beat the United States 3-2 to win the World Baseball Classic

MARCH 22, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

For Hill, a World Cup return to Manila was long time coming

The path for USA Basketball this summer on its way to the FIBA World Cup is set: from Las Vegas to Spain to Abu Dhabi to the Philippines

MARCH 13, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Doan grabs late winner for Freiburg to leave Hoffenheim last

Japan midfielder Ritsu Doan has struck late for Freiburg to beat Hoffenheim 2-1 and leave American coach Pellegrino Matarazzo’s team bottom of the Bundesliga

MARCH 12, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Georgia loses game, and wins a FIBA World Cup berth anyway

Georgia lost, and then celebrated

FEBRUARY 26, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Iran clinch final World Cup berth in Asian playoffs

Iran has clinched Asia’s final qualifying spot for the basketball World Cup despite losing its final playoff game 86-74 to China

FEBRUARY 26, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

World Cup qualifying enters final days, with 10 spots left

There are still 10 spots left unclaimed for this summer’s Basketball World Cup, with all but one of them expected to be decided on Sunday

FEBRUARY 25, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Marseille loses 3-1 to Nice, Monaco wins to keep pressure on

Second-place Marseille saw its unbeaten run end as it lost 3-1 at home to Nice to slip eight points behind French league leader Paris Saint-Germain

FEBRUARY 5, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Saudi soccer influence grows by winning seat on FIFA Council

Saudi Arabia has added to its influence in global soccer

FEBRUARY 1, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Stuttgart signs Genki Haraguchi, Gil Dias to bolster attack

Stuttgart has signed Japanese attacking midfielder Genki Haraguchi and Portuguese winger Gil Dias as it tries to avoid relegation from the Bundesliga

JANUARY 30, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Sociedad beats 10-man Bilbao 3-1 in Basque derby

Mikel Oyarzabal netted his first goal in nearly 10 months after recently returning from a serious knee injury to seal Real Sociedad's 3-1 win over 10-man Athletic Bilbao in the Bas...

JANUARY 14, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Ronaldo the latest star to end career in soccer outpost

Cristiano Ronaldo is not the first soccer superstar to head off to one of the world’s supposed minor leagues in the latter years of his career

JANUARY 6, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS