Factfile
How they got there: AFC Women’s Futsal Asian Cup 2025 champions
Head coach: Takehiro Suga
Player to watch: Ryo Egawa
Fun fact: Japan defeated Islamic Republic of Iran at the AFC Women’s Futsal Asian Cup 2025 for the first time in three attempts.
Group C Fixtures: v New Zealand (Nov 23), v Portugal (Nov 26), Tanzania (Nov 29)

The euphoria of winning the continental title for the first time after two previous heartbreaking attempts is the shot of confidence Japan needed as they look to make a big splash on the world stage.

Takehiro Suga’s side had to endure some difficult moments at China 2025, having lost to Thailand in the group stage to qualify from the runners-up spot in Group C.

A straightforward 2-0 win against Vietnam in the quarter-finals was followed by a topsy-turvy 3-2 semi-final win against Iran before a nail-biting 3-2 penalty shootout success against Thailand in the final.

Ryo Egawa finished as Japan’s top scorer with four goals but her contribution ended early after suffering an injury in the semi-final. The forward is now back in the squad.

Kaho Ito, who was another key figure in the triumph in May, believes Japan are more than capable of landing the big prize with the potential of another successful run sparking a different outlook of the game back home.

“We want to win the whole thing,” said Ito via FIFA. “There may be an experience gap between us and many other countries, but if we produce as we can, the results will follow. We’ll take it one game at a time, and look to win each one.

“When Japan became Women’s World Cup champions in 2011, you could practically feel the gaze of the world turn towards them. It’ll be the same for us. If we can put on good displays at the first futsal World Cup, it will change how people look at women’s futsal.”

Japan will see their games against New Zealand and Tanzania as winnable ones while the tie against Portugal on November 26 could well decide who tops Group C.