Football is the second most popular sport in Japan, after baseball. Its nationwide organization, the Japan Football Association, administers the professional football league, the J.League, which is the most successful football league in Asia.
The Japan national football team, nicknamed the Samurai Blue (サムライ・ブルー), represents Japan in men's international football and it is controlled by the Japan Football Association (JFA), the governing body for football in Japan. The head coach is Hajime Moriyasu, who is also the coach of the Japan U-23 team.
The South Korea national football team represents South Korea in men's international football and is governed by the Korea Football Association. South Korea has developed and emerged as a major football power in Asia since the 1980s and is historically the most successful Asian football team, having participated in nine consecutive and ten overall FIFA World Cup tournaments, the most for any Asian country. Despite initially going through five World Cup tournaments without winning a match, South Korea became the only Asian team to reach the semi-final stages when they co-hosted the 2002 tournament with Japan. South Korea also won two AFC Asian Cup titles, and finished as runners-up on four occasions. Furthermore, the team won three gold medals and three silver medals at the senior Asian Games. The team is commonly nicknamed the "Reds" by both fans and the media due to the color of their primary kit. The national team's supporting group is officially referred to as the Red Devils.
The Japan Football Association is the governing body responsible for the administration of football in Japan. It is responsible for the national team, as well as club competitions.
The Japan national futsal team represents Japan in international futsal competitions and is controlled by the Japan Football Association. It is one of the strongest teams in Asia, the champions in the 2006, 2012 and 2014 Asian Futsal Championships. Japan has also played in four FIFA Futsal World Cups.
The Korea Republic women's national football team represents South Korea in international women's football competitions. The team is referred to as the Korea Republic by the FIFA. Its first game was a match against Japan in 1990, which it lost 13–1. Since then, it has qualified for three FIFA World Cups, in 2003, 2015, and 2019.
Homare Sawa is a former Japanese professional women's football player. She captained the Japan national team to 2011 World Cup title and the silver medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics. In 2012, she was named the 2011 FIFA Women's World Player of the Year. She previously played for the Atlanta Beat of the Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA), Nippon TV Beleza, the Washington Freedom of Women's Professional Soccer (WPS), and INAC Kobe Leonessa in the Nadeshiko League Division 1.
Aya Miyama is a former Japanese football player. She played for the Japan national team starting in 2003, and from 2012-2016 served as captain of the team. She appeared in four World Cups from 2003-2015, including the team that won the 2011 World Cup for Japan. Miyama also led Japan to a silver medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
Myanmar women's national football team is a female association football team representing Myanmar and controlled by Myanmar Football Federation (MFF). Myanmar, like North Korea, has received more money from the state and improved its game recently, and had a goal of qualifying for the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup in Germany. They failed, however, in the Asian qualifiers, not winning any matches, and are now focusing on the future.
Mana Iwabuchi is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a forward for Arsenal of the English FA Women's Super League (WSL) and the Japan women's national football team.
The Japan national under-23 football team is a national association football youth team of Japan and is controlled by the Japan Football Association. The team won the gold medal at the 2010 Asian Games and were champions in the 2016 AFC U-23 Championship. The head coach is Akinobu Yokouchi. Since 1992, it was decided that teams targeting athletes under the age of 23 will participate in the Olympics. Therefore, the name changes to Japan national under-22 football team the year before the Olympics and Japan national under-21 football team two years ago. The exception to this is the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which has been postponed for one year, so in 2021, the team will be called the Japan national under-24 football team.
The Australian women's national soccer team is overseen by the governing body for soccer in Australia, Football Federation Australia (FFA), which is currently a member of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the regional ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) since leaving the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) in 2006. The team's official nickname is "the Matildas", having been known as the "Female Socceroos" before 1995. Under a naming rights deal with Scentre Group and its predecessor, Westfield Group, the team has been branded as "Westfield Matildas" since 2008.
Norio Sasaki is a Japanese football coach and former player who currently manages Omiya Ardija Ventus of the WE League. He is best known for leading the Japan women's national team to their first and only FIFA Women's World Cup win in 2011 over the United States on penalty kicks. He retired as head coach in March 2016 after eight years. Sasaki also coached the Japan women's U-20 national team starting in 2007.
Saki Kumagai is a Japanese footballer who plays for German club FC Bayern Munich and the Japan national team. She plays primarily as a defensive midfielder but has also been deployed as a central defender.
Nahomi Kawasumi is a Japanese footballer who plays for INAC Kobe Leonessa in the Nadeshiko League on loan from NJ/NY Gotham FC. A full international since 2008, she won gold at the 2011 World Cup as well as silver at the 2012 London Olympics and 2015 World Cup. During the 2011 World Cup, she scored two goals—including a lob at 35 yards away against Sweden during the semifinals—helping Japan eventually win the tournament for the first time in its history.
The Japan women's national under-20 football team is a national association football youth team of Japan and is controlled by the Japan Football Association.
Shōya Nakajima is a Japanese professional footballer who plays for Emirati club Al Ain, on loan from Portuguese club Porto, and the Japan national team. Primarily a left winger, he has also played on the right flank and as a central second striker.
The Japan women's national under-17 football team is a national association football youth team of Japan and is controlled by the Japan Football Association.
Fuka Nagano is a Japanese footballer who plays as a midfielder for Mynavi Sendai playing in the WE League. In 2017, she was named Asian Young Footballer of the Year at the AFC Annual Awards.
The Japan women's national football team has represented Japan at the FIFA Women's World Cup on eight occasions in 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019. They are the only Asian team to have won the tournament and they are the only team that has won the trophy with a loss during the final tournament. They also were runners-up once.
1 (16 April 2021) [1] 
Chinese Taipei 1–0 Japan 
Italy 9–0 Japan 
United States 9–0 Japan 
