Japan enters the tournament ranked No. 7 in the latest FIFA Women’s World Rankings and will be making its fourth appearance all-time at the SheBelieves Cup.
In 2019, Japan made its SheBelieves Cup and finish third in the four-team field, which also featured England, the USA and Brazil. Japan and the USA played to a 2-2 draw in Chester, Pa. the opening match of that tournament, followed by a 3-1 win for the Japanese over Brazil on the second day of play. Japan fell to eventual champions England 3-0 on the final match day in Tampa, Fla.
Japan finished fourth at the 2020 SheBelieves Cup, playing three highly competitive matches but ultimately going winless in the three-game stretch against Spain (3-1 Loss), England (1-0 Loss) and the USA (3-1 Loss).
Following a two-year hiatus, Japan returned to the SheBelieves Cup in 2023 and finished runner-up to the USA. Japan opened that tournament with a pair of 1-0 defeats to Brazil and the USA but closed out the tournament with a comprehensive 3-0 win over Canada on the third and final match day.
PATHWAY TO PARIS
Japan heads into the SheBelieves Cup on the heels of qualifying for the 2024 Summer Olympics after defeating North Korea 2-1 on aggregate in the third and final round of the AFC Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
With one of two Olympic berths from Asia at stake, Japan and North Korea opened the two-leg playoff with a 0-0 draw on February 24 in Saudi Arabi before traveling to Tokyo for the decisive second match on February 28, which Japan won 2-1. Hana Takahashi scored in the 25th minute to give the hosts an early advantage and forward Aoba Fujino added to Japan’s lead with a goal in the 76th. North Korea pulled one back in the 81st minute, but Japan withstood the comeback attempt to qualify for its sixth Olympics overall. Australia, which will join the USA in Group B at the Paris Olympics, defeated Uzbekistan 13-0 on aggregate to secure the other berth from Asia.
At the 2024 Olympics, Japan was drawn into Group C where it will face reigning World Cup champions Spain in the opening match in Nantes July 25 before taking on Brazil in the second Olympic Group stage match on July 28 at Parc des Princes in Paris. Japan’s third group stage game will be against either Nigeria or South Africa on July 31 back in Nantes.
Japan’s best showing at the Olympics came in 2012, winning silver after losing 2-1 to the USA in the gold medal match. Japan was also in contention for a medal in 2008, but lost to Germany 2-0 in the bronze medal match following a 4-2 loss to the U.S. in the semifinal round. At the delayed Tokyo 2020 Games, Japan advanced out of a challenging group that also featured Canada, Great Britain and Chile, but lost to eventual silver medalists Sweden in the quarterfinal.
