The round of 32 at the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off with yet another potentially mouthwatering encounter as favorites Brazil take on an ambitious Japan on Monday evening.
Favorites Brazil qualified for the knockout phase after a dominant display in Group C, finishing top with seven points. Carlo Ancelotti’s side are still unbeaten, scoring seven goals and only conceding one.
They face a tactically ambitious Japan side who finished second in Group F behind winners Netherlands. They have also not lost a game – beating Tunisia before draining against Netherlands and Sweden.
Five-time World Cup winners Brazil have been knocked out of the quarters in the last two editions but remain favorites to make it all the way here. Their last World Cup triumph was in Korea/Japan 2002.
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Ancelotti has a huge task ahead of him to bring glory back to Brazil, with his youthful side showing promise during a dominant Group stage display.
Japan on the other hand, have never won the World Cup and have been eliminated in the round of 16 in both of the last two editions of the tournament. That remains their best ever performance in the competition.
On paper, Brazil possess superior individual quality but Japan have made a name for themselves by causing major upsets on footballs biggest stage.
Brazil have blended youthful flair and experience in the tournament thus far, with stars such as Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior and Mattheus Cunha both delivering on the global stage. Their defense is also resolute, with only one goal conceded, they have what it takes to go all the way.
Betway
Can Japan cause yet another upset at the World Cup, or will Brazil keep up the pace and make light work of their opponents to progress? Here is our predicted outcome.
What time does Brazil vs Japan start?
The match kicks off at 10PM E.A.T at the NRG Stadium
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Brazil vs Japan team news
The biggest question is whether Neymar will start here after coming off the bench in the 3-0 win against Norway. The 34-year-old, who is making his last appearance for his nation at a World Cup, is hoping to finally get that elusive winners’ medal.
If he does start, Bournemouth’s Rayan will have to settle for a place on the bench.
Vinicius Junior leads the Brazil scoring charts with four goals, while Mattheus Cunha has three. The duo will retain their spots in the starting XI as the main attacking outlets for the Selecao.
The rest of the side is expected to remain unchanged with Lucas Pacqueta and Bruno Guimaraes starting in midfield. Casemiro will be the final piece in Ancelotti’s midfield puzzle.
The Japanese have shown great resilience in their performances thus far with Daizen Maeda and Daichi Kamada showing they can inspire the nation to success in the tournament.
Feyenoord’s Ayase Ueda bagged a brace in a commanding 4-0 win over Tunisia, and he will start here as well.
Their formation will remain the same 3-4-2-1 that it has been throughout the Group stage with Ueda the main man up front. Genk’s Junya Ito will join Kamada in the final third.
Brazil vs Japan head-to-head and current form
Brazil are seeking a third consecutive win here after identical 3-0 wins against Haiti and Scotland. Their unbeaten run now stretches to six games as they aim to make it into the round of 16 here.
Japan boasts a better record coming into the game, having not lost a game in their last 10. They have won eight of those games, scoring 20 goals while conceding just seven.
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Both teams are in great form, and this makes for a hotly contested battle in the round of 32 clash.
Japan were 3-2 winners the last time these two sides met in an October 2025 friendly. That was the Asian giants only victory – losing the previous four matches against the five-time World Cup winners.
Current form:
Brazil – WWDWW
Japan – DWDWW
Betway
Brazil vs Japan previous games
- Japan 3-2 Brazil (October 14, 2025)
- Japan 0-1 Brazil (June 6, 2022)
- Japan 1-3 Brazil (November 10, 2017)
- Japan 0-4 Brazil (October 14, 2014)
- Brazil 3-0 Japan (June 15, 2013)
Brazil vs Japan prediction
With this being a knockout game, we can expect a cagey encounter, but Brazil has more individual quality that may give them an edge going forward.
However, both teams have averaged more than two goals per game in this tournament. A knockout match may start cautiously, but quality in attack suggests goals.
Prediction – Both teams to score
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