Tunisia vs Japan — World Cup 2026

FILE No. M-382CLASS: GROUP MATCHSTATUS: GROUP STAGEWC 2026 · MONTERREY

Tunisia

0–4

Japan

Match events

E. SaadOn: I. Gharbi46'
D. BronnOn: M. Ben Hamida46'
S. TounektiOn: F. Chaouat65'
A. AbdiOn: E. Achouri90+1'
E. SkhiriOn: R. Khedira90+1'

0–14'D. Kamadaassist K. Nakamura
0–231'A. Uedaassist K. Itakura
0–369'J. Itoassist A. Ueda
73'D. KamadaOn: J. Suzuki
74'R. DoanOn: Y. Sugawara
79'K. NakamuraOn: Y. Suzuki
79'T. TomiyasuOn: A. Seko
0–483'A. Uedaassist K. Sano
84'A. UedaOn: K. Goto

TUNMatch statsJPN

38%Possession62%

2Shots11

0Shots on Target5

3Corners5

8Fouls15

Tunisia — starting XI

3-4-2-1

Bench

21Amine Ben Hmida
11Ismael Gharbi
19Firas Chaouat
7Elias Achouri
13Rani Khedira
1Abdelmouhib Chamakh
22Sabri Ben Hessen
5Adem Arous
23Moataz Nefati
24Raed Chikhaoui
15Mohamed Belhadj Mahmoud
12Mortadha Ben Ouanes
9Hazem Mastouri
14Khalil Ayari
18Rayan Elloumi

Japan — starting XI

3-4-2-1

Bench

25Junnosuke Suzuki
2Yukinari Sugawara
20Ayumu Seko
17Yuito Suzuki
9Keisuke Goto
12Keisuke Osako
23Tomoki Hayakawa
3Shogo Taniguchi
16Tsuyoshi Watanabe
5Yuto Nagatomo
11Daizen Maeda
26Kento Shiogai
19Koki Ogawa

All-time meetings

Tunisia wins

Draws

Japan wins

02 · Tale of the Tape

Tale of the tape.

27.2

Average Age

27.7

03 · The Form Guide

Last five walks into the room.

Who's hotter going in? Latest competitive results, newest first.

Tunisia

Jun 21

vs Japan

World Cup · Group Stage - 2 · Estadio BBVA

0–2

Jun 15

at Sweden

World Cup · Group Stage - 1 · Estadio BBVA

1–5

Jun 6

at Belgium

Friendlies · Friendly International · Roi Baudouin

0–5

Jun 1

at Austria

Friendlies · Friendly International · Ernst Happel Stadion

0–1

Mar 31

at Canada

Friendlies · Friendly International · BMO Field

0–0

Japan

Jun 21

at Tunisia

World Cup · Group Stage - 2 · Estadio BBVA

2–0

Jun 14

at Netherlands

World Cup · Group Stage - 1 · AT&T Stadium

2–2

May 31

vs Iceland

Friendlies · Friendly International · New National Stadium

1–0

Mar 31

at England

Friendlies · Friendly International · Wembley Stadium

1–0

Mar 28

at Scotland

Friendlies · Friendly International · Hampden Park

1–0

05 · Key Battles

Three duels that decide it.

// Left wing vs Right back · Danish technician meets Southampton discipline

Achouri's directness and crossing range have terrorised defences across Europe's top five leagues. Sugawara is positionally sharp but will need cover—this is Tunisia's primary avenue to unsettle Japan's backline.

// Central midfield · The metronome and the slayer

E. Skhiri

#17 · Eintracht Frankfurt

R. Dōan

#10 · SC Freiburg

Skhiri orchestrates Tunisia's tempo from the base of midfield; Dōan presses with Japanese intensity and refuses to cede possession. Both are Bundesliga regulars, and this duel will define whether Japan controls the narrative or Tunisia dictates rhythm.

// Centre-back vs Number 10 · Experience versus reinvention

Bronn's Serie A apprenticeship has honed his reading of the game; Ito glides into pockets and creates chaos from deep. Bronn must resist being dragged out of position—one slip and Japan's pressing trap snaps shut.

06 · Style Clash

Achouri's flair versus Sugawara's geometry

Tunisia arrives with the solidity of a team built in Europe's second tier; Japan brings the methodical intelligence of a side refined by Moriyasu's pressing doctrine.

// Méditerranéen pragmatism

Tunisia

// Precision and vertical tempo

Japan

Direct

Build-out style

Intricate

Stretched

Wing dominance

Compact

Situational

Pressing trigger