Japan has historically dominated matches against India in women’s football. The two teams are set to clash in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 at the Perth Rectangular Stadium in Australia on March 7, 2026.
India enters this match after suffering a 2-1 defeat against Vietnam in their opening game. In contrast, Japan secured a convincing 2-0 victory over Chinese Taipei in their first match of the tournament.
Recent Encounters
The last encounter between India and Japan occurred during the Olympic Qualifiers in 2023, where India faced a significant loss, with Japan scoring 7 goals while India failed to find the net. Historically, Japan has won four out of five matches against India, with India’s only victory dating back to 1986 at the Tien Soeharto Cup.
Currently, Japan is ranked 8th in the FIFA Women’s World Rankings, while India sits at 67th, indicating a notable disparity in their performances on the international stage.
Statements from Coaches and Players
Amelia Valverde, India’s head coach, acknowledged the physical demands of their previous match and emphasized the need for recovery. “Of course, we will adapt to whatever situations arise. Right now, the first focus has been recovery, because we had a very demanding match physically,” she stated.
Midfielder Sangita Basfore expressed the team’s determination to improve their performance against Japan, saying, “Japan are a very good side. We need to perform even better than before, and that’s what we’ll try to do.”
On the other side, Japan’s head coach Nils Nielsen expressed confidence in his team’s ability to create opportunities against India, noting, “I’m confident we can create chances against India. They are a strong team with great spirit, and although they were unlucky in their last game, we believe we can put them under pressure.”
Valverde also highlighted the challenge posed by Japan’s playing style, stating, “We know Japan are a team that really like to keep possession, with a lot of dynamism. They like to dominate the game, but we have to prepare our own game.” The match will be streamed live on FanCode, allowing fans to follow the action closely.
