Japan on the cusp of being the first qualifier to join the co-host nations at the 2026 World Cup

It’s a simple equation for Hajime Moriyasu and his Japan team this week: beat Bahrain and a 2026 World Cup spot is guaranteed.

Japan will become the first qualifier to join tournament co-hosts the United States, Canada and Mexico if it defeats Bahrain at Saitama Stadium today.

After six wins and two draws in an undefeated run so far, the Samurai Blue is heavily-favored to secure its eighth successive appearance with victory against Bahrain, a team it defeated 5-0 in September. Another win would put Japan at least 10 points clear of the third-place team with just three games remaining in Group C.

“Nothing is decided yet and I believe we should prioritize how we can play to our abilities to win the game right in front of us, and make sure of securing World Cup qualification,” Moriyasu, who led Japan to the second round of the 2022 World Cup, said.

Moriyasu has selected a mostly Europe-based roster containing Liverpool’s Wataru Endo and Kaoru Mitoma of Brighton and Hove Albion, also in the English Premier League. Japan is coming off two away wins in qualifying in November, beating Indonesia 4-0 and China 3-1.

There’s a fierce five-way tussle for the second automatic spot behind Japan, with Australia just a point ahead of the other four teams.

The Socceroos, who have appeared at the last five World Cups, host third-place Indonesia in Sydney. It will be Patrick Kluivert’s first game as head coach of Indonesia after replacing Shin Tae-yong in January.

Indonesia last qualified for the World Cup in 1938 — competing then as Dutch East Indies — and is on a high after beating Saudi Arabia in its last qualifier in November. The Saudis, aiming for a seventh World Cup appearance, will be at home to China, which has only qualified once.

Group B: South Korea leads Group B with 14 points and can take a major step toward an 11th successive appearance with a win over Oman in Goyang, just north of Seoul.

Coach Hong Myung-bo has been sfrustrated at the Achilles tendon injury that has made star defender Kim Min-jae of Bayern Munich unavailable, publicly criticizing the German club.

“Unfortunately, Bayern Munich did not properly protect the player to prevent injury,” Hong said. “So we’ve ended up in a situation where we have to play these important matches without a key player.”

Iraq, three points behind in second place, takes on Kuwait and third-place Jordan is at home to the Palestinian team.

Group A: Iran will be virtually assured of a seventh qualification if it beats United Arab Emirates in Tehran to move nine points clear of the third-place team.

Uzbekistan is in second spot and hosts Kyrgyzstan, and Qatar, in fourth spot and six points behind the automatic places, takes on last-place North Korea.

Asian qualifying path: The top two nations in each of the three six-team groups in the third round are guaranteed a spot at the 2026 World Cup. Third- and fourth-place finishers will advance to a fourth round, where direct spots are on offer for winners of the two three-team groups. The runners-up in the fourth round will go into a fifth-round continental playoff in November, and the winner of that home-and-away series will progress as Asia’s representative to a six-team FIFA playoff for a remaining spot in the 48-team World Cup. MDT/AP