Japan defeated Bahrain 2-0 on Thursday to formally secure their place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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Japan joins co-hosts Canada, Mexico, and the United States as the first non-host country to earn a spot in the tournament with this victory.
Japan gained control of the game in the second half when Daichi Kamada and Takefusa Kubo both scored goals.
The first half ended without a goal. Japan’s remarkable run since their first qualifying in 1998 continues with this victory, guaranteeing them their eighth consecutive World Cup appearance.
Japan has earned one of the two automatic qualification berths from Group C with three games left in the Asian qualifiers.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) will have at least eight representatives in the 2026 World Cup due to its expansion to 48 teams.
Other teams are getting closer to qualifying as well.
Australia is in a strong position to move up from Group C. South Korea leads the rankings in Group B, although Jordan and Iraq are not far behind, reports DDV News.
The qualification process is scheduled to end with the third round in June. Two groups of three teams will then compete in the fourth round, with the winner of each group earning a spot in the World Cup.
A final chance at qualification will also be given to one more Asian nation through an inter-confederation play-off.
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