Saitama, Japan – In a landmark night for Asian football, Japan became the first team from the continent to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a 2-0 home win over Bahrain on Thursday. Daichi Kamada and Takefusa Kubo, coming off the bench, netted in the 66th and 87th minutes respectively in front of nearly 60,000 fans at Saitama Stadium, propelling Japan to secure their eighth consecutive World Cup appearance.
“I’m relieved that we could qualify at home in front of our supporters,” Kubo said amid jubilant scenes as players doused coach Hajime Moriyasu with water after the final whistle. “This here is not our goal — we want to compete against strong teams at the World Cup.”
Australia, currently in pole position in Group C, edged closer to qualification with a 5-1 thrashing of Indonesia at Sydney Football Stadium. The Socceroos, under new guidance from Dutch legend Patrick Kluivert, hit the back of the net twice in two minutes to spark their attack, although skipper Mat Ryan cautioned that the scoreline might be misleading given the early chances Indonesia created.
Meanwhile, in Group B, South Korea maintained their lead with 15 points despite a dramatic 1-1 draw with Oman at Goyang Stadium. Wolves striker Hwang Hee-chan gave South Korea the lead after Lee Kang-in’s exquisite through ball, only for Oman’s Ali Al Busaidi to pull one back in the final 10 minutes, dashing the hosts’ hopes of a full victory.
With Australia sitting second in Group C on 10 points – four clear of Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Bahrain, and China – and three games still on their schedule starting with a tough away fixture against China on Tuesday, the Asian qualifying race remains fiercely competitive. The top two teams from each of the three Asian groups will secure a direct spot in North America, while teams finishing third and fourth will enter an additional round of qualifying.
As the continent braces for further high-stakes fixtures, the latest results highlight Asia’s growing stature on the world stage. With Japan’s historic qualification setting the tone, the battle for the remaining spots promises to be an electrifying prelude to the 2026 World Cup.
