Japan secured a 1-0 win over Iceland in a World Cup send-off friendly held in Tokyo on May 31, 2026. The match's only goal came in the 87th minute when Koki Ogawa scored with a header, sealing the victory for the host nation [1, 2].
The match featured extensive squad rotation, with Japan making 11 substitutions to test player fitness and tactics ahead of the tournament [1, 2]. Early in the game, in the 13th minute, veteran defender Maya Yoshida made his final appearance for Japan. He exited the field to a guard of honour and ceremoniously passed the captain's armband to Wataru Endo [1, 2].
Takehiro Tomiyasu made his first start in nearly two years at right-back as he works on building up his fitness for Japan's World Cup opener [1, 2]. This friendly served as a crucial step in finalizing the squad's readiness.
Japan will participate in their eighth consecutive FIFA World Cup in 2026. They are drawn into Group E, where they will face the Netherlands, Tunisia, and Sweden in the group stage [1, 2]. The tournament opener for Japan is scheduled for June 14 against the Netherlands [1, 2].
The match in Tokyo was the last chance for the squad to test combinations before flying out for the tournament. Japan aims to build momentum from this narrow victory as they prepare for their first World Cup match in less than a month [1, 2].