Japan and Sweden are both looking to win Group F in a massive World Cup clash in Dallas.
Both sides have won once in the group already and with the Netherlands top on four points going into the final games this one is crucial.
Japan still need a point to ensure automatic progression, though four points is probably enough in third if they lose.
Sweden can only end up in the automatic places if they win, and they can top the group if the Netherlands suffer a defeat.
A draw would put them in a strong position to qualify.
Graham Potter’s side were hammered 5-1 by the Dutch so must sharpen up if they are to progress.
Table of Contents
Japan team news
Japan XI: Suzuki, Sugawara, Itakura, Seko, Ito, Tanaka, Doan, Maeda, Nakamura, Kamada, Ueda
Japan subs: Osako, Hayakawa, Taniguchi, Nagatomo, Watanabe, Tomiyasu, Suzuki, Ito, Suzuki, Sano, Machino, Goto, Ogawa, Shiogai
Sweden team news
Sweden XI: Widell Zetterstrom, Lagerbielke, Lindelof, Hien, Gudmundsson, Bernhardsson, Stroud, Ayari, Isak, Elanga, Gyokeres
Sweden subs: Johansson, Nordfeldt, Johansson, Svensson, Ekdal, Starfelt, Smith, Bergvall, Nygren, Sema, Karlstrom, Svanberg, Zeneli, Nilsson, Ali
Where to watch Japan v Sweden: TV channel, live online streams
Kick-off on Friday is at 00:00 BST (19:00 ET / 16:00 PT). In the UK, live coverage is on BBC Two.
Streaming on a vast range of devices is available through the BBC iPlayer app and BBC Sport website.
World Cup 2026: Japan v Sweden stats
- Japan are at an eighth straight World Cup since 1998, which is the second-longest run of consecutive participations by an Asian nation behind South Korea’s current ubiquity of 11
- They have never advanced beyond the round of 16 and hold the record for the most matches played without ever reaching the quarter-finals (25)
- With 54 goals, Japan scored more than any other team in the AFC qualifiers, including a 3-0 forfeit victory against North Korea. Outside of the hosts, Japan were the first nation to qualify
- Three Japan players were involved in at least 10 goals in qualifying: Kubo (4 goals, 8 assists), Junya Ito (1 goal, 10 assists) and Ayase Ueda (8 goals, 2 assists)
- Hajime Moriyasu is the only head coach to manage Japan in more than 100 matches, having taken
charge in July 2018, and the first to lead Japan at two World Cup tournaments, having guided them
to the last 16 in 2022, when they were eliminated on penalties by Croatia - Sweden are at their 13th FIFA Cup and their first since the 2018 edition, when they were eliminated by England in the quarter-finals; they have progressed to the second stage in each of their last four (1992, 2002, 2006 and 2018)
- They finished fourth in their qualifying group behind Switzerland, Kosovo and Slovenia (D2 L4) but qualified through the European play-off path thanks to their Nations League ranking
- Viktor Gyokeres scored four of Sweden’s six goals in the play-offs, netting a hat-trick against Ukraine in their semi-final (3-1) and an 88th-minute winner in the final against Poland (3-2), the side who beat Sweden in a play-off final for the 2022 World Cup
- Potter is the first English head coach to manage Sweden at a World Cup since George Raynor in 1958
- Raynor guided Sweden to the final that year, representing their best-ever run before losing the decider 5-2 to Brazil
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: 101greatgoals.com
