Japan will meet Brazil in the FIFA World Cup round of 32 match on Monday, June 30, 2026, in Houston, Texas [1, 2, 3]. The Japanese squad will be without star winger Takefusa Kubo, who suffered a meniscus tear in his left knee during the tournament opener against the Netherlands on June 14, 2026 [3].
Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu confirmed on June 29 that Kubo will not play and has been training individually to aid recovery. "He's still only doing individual running [and] training, so he's not going to play in the match against Brazil," Moriyasu said [2]. He added, "He’s not going to play in the match against Brazil. We want him to recover quickly, and he wants it too" [1].
Japan advanced to the knockout stage as the runner-up in Group F without Kubo [3]. They face a challenging opponent in Brazil, traditionally a soccer powerhouse. Moriyasu acknowledged Brazil’s strength, saying, "Brazil are always a leading team. They have a very good chance of winning. Some people will say Japan are underdogs. We will play with that in mind" [3].
Brazilian player Rayan expressed little familiarity with Japan's squad, saying, "I don’t know who their best player is. I’d have to watch the video to be able to tell you" [4]. Japan will try to draw confidence from their 3-2 victory over Brazil in a friendly match held in Tokyo in October 2025 [1, 4].
Moriyasu also said he plans to decide the order of penalty kick takers himself if the match goes to a shootout, rather than letting players volunteer. "This time when the moment comes for the penalty kick shootout is probable I would like to decide the order of the kickers rather than players volunteering like last time," he said [1].
Japan has faced a more draining travel schedule than Brazil, with one fewer rest day during the tournament, which could impact player fatigue [1]. The round of 32 clash on June 30 marks a crucial test for Japan’s hopes in the 2026 World Cup.
