Japan vs Iceland Live Stream: How to Watch Pre-World Cup Friendly, TV Info Worldwide

Japan face Iceland in an international friendly on Sunday, May 31, 2026, with kickoff set for 19:25 JST (10:25 UTC / 06:25 ET / 11:25 BST) at Japan National Stadium in Tokyo. The Samurai Blue head into the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Group F alongside Netherlands, Sweden, and Tunisia, while Iceland travel to Tokyo having narrowly missed out on World Cup qualification through the UEFA pathway. Here is everything you need to know about watching Japan vs Iceland live.

Japan vs Iceland Match Details

Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu uses this home send-off to finalise his tactical shape and give the full squad match minutes before the Samurai Blue fly out to the United States. With the World Cup opener against the Netherlands coming on June 14 in Dallas, this is one of the last chances for fringe players to make their case for a starting role. Iceland, who finished third in their UEFA qualifying group behind France and Ukraine, make the trip to Tokyo as competitive opponents who will push Japan in a way that benefits the preparation camp.

How to Watch Japan vs Iceland in Japan

Japanese fans have strong free-to-air and streaming options for this match. NHK is Japan’s national public broadcaster and the primary home for Japan national team matches, with live coverage available on terrestrial TV and free streaming via the NHK+ app for viewers in Japan. Abema — which provided free World Cup 2022 streaming and has become a major digital home for Japanese football — is expected to carry the match live and free on mobile. DAZN Japan provides paid premium coverage with tactical analysis and multi-angle replays. Kickoff is at 19:25 JST on Sunday evening — a prime-time slot that will draw a large domestic audience.

How to Watch in Iceland

Iceland fans can follow the match on RÚV, the national public broadcaster that carries Iceland national team football free of charge across TV and the RÚV app. Kickoff in Reykjavik is at 10:25 AM GMT on Sunday morning, a convenient mid-morning slot for Icelandic viewers.

How to Watch in the UK

Japan vs Iceland kicks off at 11:25 AM BST on Sunday, May 31 — a good daytime slot for UK fans. A confirmed UK broadcaster has not been announced for this friendly. Fans in the UK should check Sky Sports and Premier Sports listings closer to kickoff. FIFA+ is available as a free global fallback in unconfirmed territories.

How to Watch in the USA

Kickoff in the United States is at 06:25 AM ET / 03:25 AM PT on Sunday, May 31 — an early morning viewing option for the East Coast and a very late night for the West Coast. A confirmed US broadcaster has not been announced. Fans in the United States can check bet365 streaming for funded account holders and FIFA+ as a free fallback. DAZN USA may also carry the match as part of their international football rights package.

How to Watch in Europe

Iceland fans across Scandinavia and continental Europe can check their national broadcasters for this fixture. RÚV streams the match free for Icelandic viewers. For Japan’s European fan base, FIFA+ remains the most practical free fallback. Confirmed broadcast details for Germany, France, Spain, and the Netherlands have not been announced at time of writing.

International Broadcasters — Japan vs Iceland Worldwide

Only watch via official channels. Illegal streams expose your device to malware and violate broadcasting rights. Rights are subject to change — verify with your local provider before kickoff.

Japan vs Iceland Kickoff Times Worldwide

Streaming Apps — Japan vs Iceland

NHK+ is a free streaming app from Japan’s national broadcaster, available on iOS, Android, and Smart TV for viewers in Japan. Abema is Japan’s leading free digital sports streaming platform, available on iOS, Android, Smart TV, and browser — no subscription required for selected live matches. DAZN Japan offers paid premium coverage with multi-view options, analysis, and full replays. RÚV App streams Iceland national team coverage free for viewers inside Iceland, available on iOS and Android. FIFA+ is a free global fallback for fans in territories without a confirmed live broadcaster, available on iOS and Android.

Japan Pre-World Cup Preview

Japan arrive at Japan National Stadium as one of Asia’s best-organised and most technically gifted sides heading into the 2026 World Cup. Coach Hajime Moriyasu has built a squad driven by Premier League and La Liga talent, with Kaoru Mitoma of Brighton, Takefusa Kubo of Real Sociedad, and Liverpool’s Wataru Endo leading a generation of Japanese players who have established themselves at the very top of European club football. Japan went into their final preparation window with a positive result against England at Wembley in March and came through the FIFA international window in confident form.

Group F is the Samurai Blue’s sternest test in recent World Cup memory — Netherlands are one of the tournament favourites and Sweden are a disciplined, dangerous European side. The opener against the Dutch on June 14 at AT&T Stadium in Dallas will likely define Japan’s path through the group. This Sunday send-off against Iceland at Japan National Stadium gives Moriyasu the chance to give the squad a raucous home farewell before the long-haul flight to the United States.

Iceland Pre-World Cup Preview

Iceland arrive in Tokyo as a side still processing the disappointment of missing out on the World Cup. The Vikings finished third in UEFA qualifying Group D with seven points from six matches — behind France, who topped the group with 16 points, and Ukraine, who advanced to the playoffs as runners-up. In a difficult group, Iceland showed their quality in patches, scoring 13 goals across the campaign, but inconsistency away from home ultimately cost them a playoff place.

Key players Albert Gudmundsson, Ísak Bergmann Jóhannesson, and Hákon Haraldsson still make Iceland a threat in open play, and the Tokyo trip gives coach Åge Hareide a chance to evaluate younger talent and build chemistry ahead of future qualifying cycles. For a nation of just 370,000 people that famously reached the 2016 European Championship quarter-finals and the 2018 World Cup, missing out on 2026 hurts — but the trip to face Japan is a chance to sign off the qualifying era with a performance to be proud of.

Japan vs Iceland Head-to-Head

Japan and Iceland have met rarely at senior men’s international level. Their head-to-head history is limited, and Sunday’s fixture at Japan National Stadium could be one of the most significant meetings between the two nations. Japan hold the stronger overall record in the few encounters between the sides, though Iceland’s physical and direct style has historically caused technical teams problems at international level. A confirmed full head-to-head record was not available at time of writing.

FAQ — Japan vs Iceland

Japan vs Iceland is a fitting home farewell for the Samurai Blue — one last full crowd at Japan National Stadium before Moriyasu and his squad board the flight to the United States and one of the most anticipated World Cup campaigns in Japanese football history.

For Japanese fans, NHK and Abema offer free access to the Sunday evening kickoff. Iceland fans in Reykjavik can watch free on RÚV from 10:25 AM. Bookmark this page for the live score and result and check back for the full match report after the final whistle. Check Japan vs Iceland Live Score