Japan secured its spot for the FIFA World Cup 2026 with a 2-0 win over Bahrain.
The country is now the first in the world to qualify for this August tournament, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The Samurai Blue had the backing of Daichi Kamada and Takefusa Kubo, who made the difference in the match.
Japan is also the country not hosting the World Cup to qualify because, with the new format of the 48-team tournament, the three hosts have automatic qualification.