JAPAN NEWS

Ronaldo scores and leads Al-Nassr into AFC Champions Elite semifinals

Cristiano Ronaldo has led Saudi Arabian team Al-Nassr to a 4-1 win over Yokohama F

12 HOURS AGO • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Mbappé's legal team says he has seized 55 million euros from PSG's accounts in their legal dispute

Kylian Mbappé’s legal team is going on the attack to try and resolve the legal dispute between the World Cup winner and his former club Paris Saint-Germain

APRIL 10 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

FIFA World Cup 2026: Every team that's qualified so far

The 2026 World Cup will have a record 48 teams — here's every country that's qualified for the tournament so far.

MARCH 25

Japan becomes first team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup after host nations

Japan has become the first team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup after beating Bahrain 2-0 at Saitama Stadium.

MARCH 20

Japan becomes the first team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup after host nations

Japan has become the first team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup after beating Bahrain 2-0 at Saitama Stadium

MARCH 20 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

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

MARCH 19 • 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