Arlington, June 25 (IANS) A place in the World Cup knockout rounds will be on the line when Japan and Sweden meet in their final Group F clash at Dallas Stadium. While Japan enter the contest in a strong position with four points from two matches, Sweden still have work to do to secure progression and cannot afford a slip-up.

The Samurai Blue have impressed so far, following an opening draw against the Netherlands with a commanding victory over Tunisia. Another positive result would guarantee their place among the top two in the group, while a win could also strengthen their chances of finishing first, depending on events elsewhere.

Sweden’s campaign has been far less straightforward. After opening with an emphatic victory over Tunisia, they were brought crashing back to earth by a heavy defeat against the Netherlands. That inconsistency has left Graham Potter’s side needing a strong response in a match that could define their tournament.

Japan’s attack has been one of the standout stories of Group F. The Asian side displayed both creativity and clinical finishing against Tunisia and will fancy their chances against a Swedish defence that struggled badly in its previous outing.

That said, Sweden possess enough firepower to trouble any opponent. With Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres leading the line, they have the tools to make this a competitive contest and keep their qualification hopes alive. For Japan, the objective is to maintain momentum and potentially claim the top spot. For Sweden, it is about avoiding a defeat that could leave their World Cup future dependent on results elsewhere.

How to watch Japan vs Sweden live in India

Live streaming and live telecast of the FIFA World Cup 2026 football matches will be available on the Zee5 platform and app in India. A subscription will be needed.

Live telecast of the FIFA World Cup 2026 will be available on Unite8 Sports 1, Unite8 Sports 1 HD, Unite8 Sports 2, and Unite8 Sports 2 HD TV channels in India.

Key details

Date and kick-off time: Friday, June 26, 04:30 AM (IST)

Venue: Dallas Stadium, Arlington, USA

Referee: Ivan Barton

Squads:

Japan –

Goalkeepers: Tomoki Hayakawa, Keisuke Osako, Zion Suzuki

Defenders: Ko Itakura, Hiroki Ito, Yuto Nagatomo, Ayumu Seko, Yukinari Sugawara, Junnosuke Suzuki, Shogo Taniguchi, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Tsuyoshi Watanabe

Midfielders: Ritsu Doan, Wataru Endo, Junya Ito, Daichi Kamada, Takefusa Kubo, Keito Nakamura, Kaishu Sano, Ao Tanaka

Forwards: Keisuke Goto, Daizen Maeda, Koki Ogawa, Kento Shiogai, Yuito Suzuki, Ayase Ueda

Sweden –

Goalkeepers: Viktor Johansson, Gustaf Lagerbielke, Kristoffer Nordfeldt, Jacob Zetterstrom

Defenders: Hjalmar Ekdal, Gabriel Gudmundsson, Isak Hien, Victor Lindelof, Eric Smith, Carl Starfelt, Daniel Svensson

Midfielders: Yasin Ayari, Lucas Bergvall, Jesper Karlstrom, Benjamin Nygren, Ken Sema, Elliot Stroud, Mattias Svanberg, Besfort Zeneli

Forwards: Taha Ali, Alexander Bernhardsson, Anthony Elanga, Viktor Gyokeres, Alexander Isak, Gustaf Nilsson

–IANS

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