Japan national football team to face Venezuela in September friendly

The Japan Football Association announced that the Japan men’s national soccer team will play an international A‑match against the Venezuela national team on 28 September in Hiroshima. The fixture is the first senior‑team friendly after the 2026 FIFA World Cup and follows a scheduled friendly in Sendai on 24 September. Japan, ranked 17th by FIFA, will host Venezuela, ranked 47th, in a match that will test the side ahead of upcoming qualifiers. Coach Hajime Moriyasu expressed gratitude for the opportunity to face a competitive South‑American opponent and reiterated his aim to give the players a strong performance.

The encounter continues a limited historical record between the two sides, which stands at one win, three draws and one loss for Japan. No World Cup participation is expected for either team in 2026, but the friendly offers both squads a chance to gauge progress.