Japan

Football was introduced to Japan in the 1870s by British Royal Navy officers stationed in Yokohama. The game spread through universities and schools, but remained an amateur pursuit for over a century. Japan joined FIFA in 1929, but it was not until the modern era that the country emerged as a true football nation.

The turning point came on 15 May 1993, when the J.League — Japan's first professional football league — kicked off. The league attracted international stars and ignited a national passion for the game. Within a decade, Japanese children were growing up with football clubs, professional role models, and a dream of playing in Europe.

Japan qualified for their first FIFA World Cup in 1998 (France). Just four years later, they co-hosted the 2002 World Cup with South Korea — the first tournament held in Asia — and reached the Round of 16 on home soil.

In the years since, Japan have become a consistent presence at World Cups, repeatedly reaching the knockout rounds and producing a steady stream of players who succeed at Europe's top clubs. The 2022 tournament in Qatar saw their most celebrated group stage ever: victories over Germany and Spain in the same group.