Japan powered to a historic 4-0 victory over Tunisia in Group F at the FIFA World Cup 2026™, with Ayase Ueda scoring twice in a milestone match that also confirmed Tunisia’s elimination. The win, played at Monterrey Stadium on Saturday 20 June at 22:00 local time, moved Japan level with the Netherlands at the top of the group and left them on the cusp of the knockout stage.
In the 1,000th match played at the FIFA World Cup, Japan carved out their own slice of history, producing the largest win by any AFC nation in World Cup history. Daichi Kamada opened the scoring in the fourth minute, before Ueda struck either side of half-time and Junya Ito added a third midway through the second half.
How Japan built a commanding lead
Japan struck early through Kamada, who finished from close range after Keito Nakamura danced into the box and squared across the face of goal. The opener was Kamada’s second of the tournament and, crucially, the fastest Japan have scored at a World Cup.
Ueda doubled the advantage on the half-hour. Tunisia allowed him time and space to stride towards goal, and the forward made them pay by lashing home from the top of the box to put Japan firmly in control.
Tunisia, led by new coach Herve Renard after he was parachuted into the job earlier in the week, could not find a way back into the contest. Japan continued to dictate the key moments and extended their lead in the second half when Ueda turned provider. Ito slotted home Japan’s third midway through the second period, further underlining the gap between the sides on the night.
Ueda then completed his brace late on, sealing a comfortable 4-0 win and earning the Michelob Ultra Superior Player of the Match award.
Key stat from the opener
Kamada’s fourth-minute goal was the fastest scored by a Japanese player in FIFA World Cup history. The previous quickest was Shinji Kagawa, who scored in the sixth minute against Colombia in 2018.
What the result means in Group F
The emphatic victory moved Japan level with the Netherlands at the top of Group F and left them on the cusp of reaching the knockout stage. For Tunisia, the outcome was decisive: they are now eliminated from the tournament.
Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu highlighted his team’s approach and preparation after the match, saying: “We prepared well for what we wanted to do and played aggressively. During our preparations, the coaching staff made it clear what we needed to do, and because of that the players were able to perform to their full potential. Many Japanese supporters came here to Monterrey, sang the national anthem with us and cheered us on loudly. Their support was a huge boost for us.”
With four different goal contributions across Kamada, Ueda and Ito, and Nakamura instrumental in the build-up to the opener, Japan’s performance in Monterrey delivered both a statement win and a landmark chapter in World Cup history.
