Japan wins Kirin Cup 2026 after defeating New Zealand

The Japan national football team won the Kirin Cup 2026 after defeating New Zealand 2-1 in the final at the National Stadium. This victory marks Japan's 12th tournament win and their first in 15 years.

Ayase Ueda opened the scoring in the 28th minute, continuing a prolific run where he scored four goals in four matches during this international series. Ritsu Doan secured the win with a goal in the 71st minute. The match also featured a tactical experiment by manager Hajime Moriyasu, who deployed a 4-2-3-1 formation and utilized Junya Ito as a right-back to prepare for the upcoming Asian Cup.

Japan completed a successful four-match series with wins over Uruguay, Venezuela, Ecuador, and New Zealand. While the team showed strong offensive capabilities, players and analysts noted the need to address defensive vulnerabilities against counter-attacks and long balls.