First Touch ’26 - Japan

No national team on earth has built their modern football project quite like Japan. In this World Cup Capsule, David Gass breaks down how the Samurai Blue went from late arrivals on the global stage to qualifying for eight straight World Cups, and becoming the first team to punch their ticket to 2026. We go back to the sport’s arrival in the 19th century, the influence of the manga Captain Tsubasa, the launch of the fully professional J.League in 1993, and the transformative impact of co-hosting the 2002 World Cup. Japan arrives in North America as Asia’s most methodically built powerhouse. Add in King Kazu’s legend, fans who clean the stadium after matches, and food facts ranging from KFC Christmas to polite noodle-slurping, and you’ve got one of the most unique football cultures at this World Cup.