TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Japan has a great chance to secure a spot in the round of 32 when facing Sweden in the final match of Group F in the 2026 World Cup. The match will take place at the Dallas Stadium, Arlington, United States, on Friday, June 26, 2026, at 06.00 AM Indonesian time.
Japan is currently in second place in the standings with four points from two matches, having won one and tied one. Sweden is in third position with three points after securing one victory and suffering one defeat.
The Hajime Moriyasu team has been impressive throughout the group stage. After drawing 2-2 against the Netherlands in the opening match, Japan rallied from behind with goals from Keito Nakamura and Daichi Kamada. The Netherlands scored through Virgil van Dijk and Crysencio Summerville.
In the second match, Japan defeated Tunisia 4-0 at the Estadio BBVA in Monterrey, Mexico. Daichi Kamada scored one goal, Ayase Ueda contributed two goals, and Junya Ito scored another goal.
Sweden began the tournament with a convincing 5-1 victory over Tunisia. Yasin Ayari scored two goals, while Alexander Isak, Viktor Gykeres, and Mattias Svanberg contributed the other three goals.
However, their performance declined in the second match after being thrashed 5-1 by the Netherlands at the Houston Stadium.
Anthony Elanga scored the only goal for Sweden. The defeat makes the match against Japan crucial for their chances of advancing to the knockout stage.
Based on Opta Analyst's prediction, Japan has a 51.7 percent chance of winning, while Sweden's chance is only 23 percent. The estimated probability of a tie is 25.3 percent.
Opta also noted that Japan has remained undefeated in its last nine matches in all competitions. In contrast, Sweden has just suffered their first defeat in 2026 after being demolished by the Netherlands.
Currently, the Netherlands lead Group F with four points and are in a strong position to advance to the next round. Japan follows in second place with four points, while Sweden has three points. Tunisia, at the bottom of the table with no points, is on the brink of elimination. "Japan and the Netherlands a 100% chance of progressing to the round of 32, while Sweden are assigned a 91.5% probability as Group F’s top three sides look set to advance," wrote Opta.
In terms of productivity, Daichi Kamada and Ayase Ueda are key players for Japan. With two goals each, they are among the top scorers of the tournament so far.
Meanwhile, Sweden relies on Yasin Ayari, who has also scored two goals, including the opening goal of the match. Opta noted that both teams have been consistent in the front line. Japan has always scored goals in its last nine matches in all competitions, while Sweden has scored in eight consecutive matches.
Nevertheless, Japan will certainly miss midfielder Takefusa Kubo, who was injured after the match against the Netherlands. In the 2-2 draw, Kubo provided an assist before getting injured. Forward Shuto Machino is also confirmed to be absent due to injury.
Read: 2026 World Cup: Full List of Teams Qualified and Eliminated
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