Japan have named their 26-man squad for this summer's 2026 World Cup in North America.
The Samurai Blue have qualified for each of the last seven editions of the tournament, reaching the last 16 in both Russia and Qatar.
Following friendly victories over both England and Brazil, there are high hopes that Japan could reach their first-ever quarter-final this summer. The likes of Ao Tanaka, Takefusa Kubo, Daichi Kamada and Zion Suzuki are enjoying decent seasons in top European sides and, with just one loss in their last 11 matches, they are undoubtedly a team in form.
However, manager Hajime Moriyasu will be unable to call upon the services of Brighton winger Kaoru Mitoma.
The 28-year-old is arguably Japan's most talented player, but medical staff have decided that he does not have enough time to recover from a hamstring injury that he suffered against Wolves.
Japan will play just one warm-up game ahead of the tournament against Iceland before beginning their group stage campaign with a huge clash against Netherlands.
They then face Tunisia in Mexico before taking on Sweden to round off their group.
Japan 2026 World Cup Squad
Goalkeepers
- Zion Suzuki (Parma)
- Keisuke Osako (Sanfrecce Hiroshima)
- Tomoki Hayakawa (Kashima Antlers)
Defenders
- Hiroki Ito (Bayern Munich)
- Junnosuke Suzuki (Copenhagen)
- Ayumu Seko (Le Havre)
- Shogo Taniguchi (Sint-Truiden)
- Tsuyoshi Watanabe (Feyenoord)
- Ko Itakura (Ajax)
- Takehiro Tomiyasu (Ajax)
- Yukinari Sugawara (Werder Bremen)
- Yuto Nagatomo (FC Tokyo)
Midfielders
- Daichi Kamada (Crystal Palace)
- Ao Tanaka (Leeds)
- Kaishu Sano (Mainz)
- Wataru Endo (Liverpool)
- Keito Nakamura (Reims)
- Daizen Maeda (Celtic)
- Ritsu Doan (Eintracht Frankfurt)
- Yuito Suzuki (Freiburg)
- Junya Ito (Genk)
Forwards
- Ayase Ueda (Feyenoord)
- Koki Ogawa (NEC)
- Kento Shiogai (Wolfsburg)
- Keisuke Goto (Sint-Truiden)
- Takefusa Kubo (Real Sociedad)
