Japan becomes 1st team to qualify for 2026 World Cup after host nations

The Associated Press

· Posted: Mar 20, 2025 10:42 AM EDT | Last Updated: 6 minutes ago

Japan became the archetypal squad to suffice for the 2026 World Cup aft beating Bahrain 2-0 astatine Saitama Stadium connected Thursday.

Second-half goals from Daichi Kamada and Takefusa Kubo ensured the Samurai Blue secured a spot successful Asia Group C's apical 2 automatic qualification places.

At its eighth successive World Cup, Japan joins co-hosts the United States, Canada and Mexico successful the expanded 48-team tournament.

Earlier, second-placed Australia took a large measurement towards a seventh quality by defeating Indonesia 5-1 successful Sydney successful the visitor's archetypal crippled nether caller manager Patrick Kluivert.

Indonesia's Kevin Diks missed a punishment successful the eighth minute, and 10 minutes aboriginal Martin Boyle made nary mistake with his spot footwear to enactment the Socceroos ahead.

Nishan Velupillay and Jackson Irvine scored earlier the interruption and Lewis Miller made it 4-0 connected the hour. Ole Romeny pulled 1 backmost for Indonesia earlier Irvine grabbed his 2nd and the hosts' fifth.

The apical 2 from each of the 3 six-team groups successful the 3rd circular of Asian qualifying beforehand to the World Cup portion the third- and fourth-placed teams beforehand to different signifier to vie for 2 much places.