Japan Call Up 27 Players for Qualifiers vs Australia, Indonesia

Hajime Moriyasu, head coach of the Japan national football team, has announced a 27-man squad for the upcoming 2026 World Cup Qualifiers against Australia and Indonesia.

The decision has drawn attention as Japan have already secured a place in the next round as Group C winners, with an unbeaten record and 20 points — a total that cannot be overtaken by any other team.

Moriyasu made a bold move by dropping 14 players from the previous squad — 13 of them currently play for European clubs. This major reshuffle is seen as a strategic rotation and evaluation ahead of the final qualification round.