Japan vs Iceland Live Score – Pre-World Cup Friendly Result & Match Updates
Japan host Iceland on Sunday, 31 May 2026, with kickoff at 7:25 PM JST / 11:25 AM BST / 6:25 AM ET at the Japan National Stadium in Tokyo. The Samurai Blue enter this fixture as one of the most in-form sides heading into the 2026 FIFA World Cup, having won all five of their most recent matches — including back-to-back away victories over Scotland and England in March. Coach Hajime Moriyasu named his official 26-man World Cup squad on 15 May and will use this Iceland friendly as a final live sharpener before Group F begins against the Netherlands in Dallas on 14 June.
Iceland, who failed to qualify for the World Cup after finishing third in their UEFA qualifying group behind France and Ukraine, travel to Tokyo as strong, physical European opposition. This is exactly the kind of test Moriyasu wants before North America.
Japan vs Iceland Live Score
Japan vs Iceland Match Details
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Match | Japan vs Iceland |
| Competition | International Friendly — Pre-World Cup 2026 |
| Date | Sunday, 31 May 2026 |
| Kickoff Time | 06:25 AM ET / 11:25 AM BST / 07:25 PM JST |
| Venue | Japan National Stadium (Olympic), Tokyo, Japan |
| Japan World Cup Group | Group F |
| Japan World Cup Opener | vs Netherlands — 14 June, AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas |
| Iceland World Cup Status | Not qualified |
| Iceland WC Qualifying Finish | 3rd in UEFA World Cup Qualifying Group D |
Japan’s World Cup squad is already confirmed, and Moriyasu has spoken clearly about using this final home friendly to distribute playing time evenly, ensure all 26 players are match-sharp, and maintain the momentum that has delivered five consecutive wins. Iceland arrive having played three spring friendlies — against Mexico, Canada, and Haiti — and will bring the organised, direct European style that makes them a useful preparation opponent for the Japanese ahead of facing the Netherlands, Tunisia, and Sweden.
Japan vs Iceland Predicted Lineups
Confirmed lineups will be added here approximately one hour before kickoff.
Japan (Predicted): Coach Hajime Moriyasu is expected to rotate across two halves, giving meaningful minutes to his full 26-man squad. Goalkeeper Zion Suzuki (Parma) starts. The defensive shape is built around Ko Itakura (Ajax) and Hiroki Ito (Bayern Munich), with Sugawara at right back. In midfield, Wataru Endo (Liverpool) provides the captaincy and experience, with Junya Ito and Keito Nakamura competing for wide roles. Takefusa Kubo — Real Sociedad’s standout creator and Japan’s most dangerous attacker — is likely to feature. Note: Kaoru Mitoma (hamstring), Takumi Minamino (ACL), and Hidemasa Morita are all absent from the World Cup squad due to injury. The confirmed starting XI for Japan has not yet been announced. Check back closer to kickoff.
Iceland (Predicted): Iceland’s coaching staff is expected to deploy a physical 4-4-2 or 4-5-1 shape, built around defensive discipline and set-piece threat. Goalkeeper Hákon Rafn Valdimarsson (Brentford) starts between the posts. Midfielders Hákon Arnar Haraldsson (Lille) and Ísak Bergmann Jóhannesson (FC Köln) provide the squad’s best European quality. Veteran Gylfi Sigurdsson — now 36 and playing in the Icelandic league with Víkingur Reykjavík — may feature as a creative influence off the bench. Johann Berg Guðmundsson adds width and experience from wide. The confirmed starting XI for Iceland has not yet been announced. Check back closer to kickoff.
Japan Pre-Match Form
Japan arrive at this fixture in the best form of any team heading into the 2026 World Cup. Five wins from five, with ten goals scored and just two conceded, is a record that commands genuine respect from Group F opponents.
- Won vs England 1-0 — International Friendly, 31 March 2026, Wembley Stadium.
- Won vs Scotland 1-0 — International Friendly, 28 March 2026, Hampden Park.
- Won vs Bolivia 3-0 — International Friendly, 18 November 2025.
- Won vs Ghana 2-0 — International Friendly, 14 November 2025.
- Won vs Brazil 3-2 — International Friendly, 14 October 2025.
The March results stand out most sharply. Japan beat Scotland 1-0 at Hampden Park — Junya Ito’s 84th-minute finish capping a controlled, composed away performance — and then defeated England 1-0 at Wembley three days later. The 3-2 win over Brazil in October 2025 was arguably even more remarkable, with Japan fighting from behind to beat the five-time world champions in a result that announced this team’s global ambitions. Moriyasu has masterminded wins over Germany, Spain, and Brazil since 2022. When Japan travel to North America, they go as genuine dark horses.
Iceland Pre-Match Form
Iceland narrowly missed the World Cup after failing to progress from UEFA Qualifying Group D, finishing third behind France and Ukraine. Coach Arnar Vidarsson then entered a rebuilding phase through spring 2026 friendlies, with Tokyo representing a final high-profile opportunity before the Nations League cycle restarts in September.
- Drew vs Haiti 1-1 — International Friendly, 31 March 2026.
- Drew vs Canada 2-2 — International Friendly, 28 March 2026.
- Lost vs Mexico 0-4 — International Friendly, 26 February 2026.
- Won vs Azerbaijan 2-0 — WC Qualifier, 13 November 2025.
- Lost vs Ukraine 0-2 — WC Qualifier, 16 November 2025.
The 0-4 loss to Mexico in February was a heavy defeat, though Iceland were playing away in a difficult environment. The two draws in March — against Canada and Haiti — showed resilience and attacking threat. Iceland concede an average of 2.2 goals per game across their recent run, which points to defensive vulnerability, but they can score freely as well — their attack featuring Haraldsson and Bergmann Jóhannesson produced moments of real quality in the European qualifiers. Full form data for Iceland beyond the above was not available at time of writing.
Japan vs Iceland Head-to-Head
Japan and Iceland have no confirmed prior senior international meeting at full national team level. This is expected to be the first-ever men’s senior encounter between the two nations.
First-ever meeting (expected).
With no H2H record to draw from, context comes from current squads and form. Japan (FIFA rank 18) hold a clear ranking advantage over Iceland (FIFA rank 74), but the Icelanders are a physically imposing European side who qualified ahead of Ukraine for much of their WC qualifying cycle and will not be passive visitors at the National Stadium in Tokyo.
Japan vs Iceland Match Preview
The Japan National Stadium in Tokyo — the iconic 68,000-capacity venue built for the 2020 Olympic Games — will provide a fitting and atmospheric backdrop for Moriyasu’s final home farewell before the World Cup. Japan supporters have been electric throughout this qualifying cycle and through the spring friendly victories, and Sunday’s sold-out occasion will be no different.
For Moriyasu, the mission is simple: maintain sharpness, distribute minutes, confirm tactical combinations, and send the squad to North America on the back of six consecutive wins. Iceland are a deliberately chosen opponent — a compact, set-piece-heavy European side who will press Japan defensively and test their ability to break down a deep defensive block. Facing exactly that kind of European structure, before then opening against the Netherlands, is precisely what the Samurai Blue coaching staff had in mind when they arranged this fixture.
For Iceland, a trip to Tokyo with a sold-out National Stadium is a significant occasion in its own right. While the World Cup qualification disappointment still stings, the squad under Arnar Vidarsson has several young talents — particularly Haraldsson and Bergmann Jóhannesson — who benefit enormously from these high-profile away tests. A strong performance in Tokyo, against a Japan side on a five-match winning run, would be a meaningful statement for Iceland’s Nations League and future qualifying campaigns.
Japan vs Iceland Match Report
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Frequently Asked Questions
The current score in Japan vs Iceland is 0–0. The match kicks off at 7:25 PM JST (11:25 AM BST / 6:25 AM ET) on Sunday, 31 May 2026 at the Japan National Stadium in Tokyo. Refresh this page at kickoff for live updates.
Japan vs Iceland kicks off at 7:25 PM JST on Sunday, 31 May 2026. That is 11:25 AM BST and 6:25 AM ET. The match is at the Japan National Stadium in Tokyo, Japan.
The match has not yet kicked off. Check back for the live score and full result — this page updates in real time from kickoff to the final whistle.
Japan vs Iceland is yet to be played. Kickoff is at 6:25 AM ET on Sunday, 31 May 2026.
Yes, for Japan. This is the Samurai Blue’s final home friendly before the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where they open Group F against the Netherlands on 14 June at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Iceland did not qualify for the 2026 World Cup, finishing third in UEFA Qualifying Group D.
Japan vs Iceland is Hajime Moriyasu’s last farewell to the Tokyo faithful before the Samurai Blue depart for North America and a Group F campaign that begins against the Netherlands on 14 June at AT&T Stadium in Dallas — a tie that will define Japan’s tournament ambitions.
For live scores and results from all today’s friendlies, visit fwctimes.com/scores-fixtures/.
For the full schedule of pre-World Cup friendlies 2026, including lineups, results and reports as they land, bookmark our dedicated hub. Check Also Mexico vs Australia Live Stream
