Japan will fancy their chances of advancing from the group stage for a third successive World Cup, and the Samurai Blue appear good value to top Group F ahead of the Netherlands, Sweden and Tunisia.
Hajime Moriyasu’s side are 3/1 with LiveScore Bet* to win their group, having done so at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar – where they stunned former champions Germany and Spain en route to the last 16.
While Ronald Koeman’s Netherlands are odds-on favourites to finish as Group F winners, Japan are building up to the tournament in great form, producing some eye-catching results in recent months – most notably friendly victories over Brazil in Tokyo and England at Wembley.
Moriyasu has just named his 26-man squad for this summer’s finals and, once again, it’s a star-studded selection featuring players plying their club trade in the Premier League, Bundesliga and beyond.
While Japan have suffered the blow of losing Brighton midfielder Kaoru Mitoma – scorer of the winning goal against England in March – to injury, they’re still teeming with talent in all departments, including the likes of Bayern Munich centre-back Hiroki Ito, Crystal Palace midfielder Daichi Kamada and Feyenoord striker Ayase Ueda, the leading marksman in this season’s Eredivisie.
“I feel that I have chosen the best 26 players for Japan to win on the world stage right now,” Moriyasu after announcing his squad. The acid test of that begins on June 14 when Japan get their World Cup 2026 campaign underway against the Netherlands in Dallas – before facing Tunisia and Monterrey then Sweden back in Dallas.
Moriyasu’s men have one more friendly between now and the World Cup, at home to Iceland on May 31.
Back Japan to win Group F of the World Cup 2026 at 3/1 with LiveScore Bet
*Odds correct as of 17/5/26
