Japanese Football Association aims for main referee slots at future World Cups

The Japan Football Association (JFA) held a referee briefing on 21 July, noting that at the 2026 North‑American World Cup Japanese officials Araki Yūsuke and Mihara Jun served only as fourth‑official and reserve assistant referee, with no Japanese appointed as main referee for any of the 104 matches. Chairman Kenji Sōgaya described the situation as “very frustrating” and said the association will work to secure main‑referee assignments for the 2030 and 2034 tournaments, stressing the need to improve evaluation and exchange programs.

At the same briefing, JFA referee committee manager Takashi Sato explained the new competition rules that will be applied in the 2026/27 J‑League season. The changes introduce a 10‑second limit for substitutions and a 5‑second limit for throw‑ins and goal‑kicks, intended to speed up game tempo and increase actual playing time without strict penalisation. Sato emphasized that the rules are not meant as punitive measures but as a means to enhance the flow of matches and the quality of VAR decisions.