Mitoma has failed to make the Japan squad for the 2026 World Cup due to a hip injury World Cup 2026 news

Monaco’s Takumi Minamino also misses out through injury, but former Arsenal defender Takehiro Tomiyasu makes the cut.

Injured Brighton striker Kaoru Mitoma has been ruled out of Japan World Cup 99

The 28-year-old picked up a hip injury during Brighton’s 3-0 win over Wolves in the Premier League last weekend.

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“The medical team felt that it would be difficult for him to return to the game,” coach Hajime Moriyasu said in reference to his team in Tokyo on Friday.

Monaco midfielder Takumi Minamino also missed out after tearing his left knee at the end of December.

Japan have been drawn with the Netherlands, Sweden and Tunisia in Group F, and will begin their campaign against the Dutch in Arlington, Texas on June 14.

Mitoma, who has scored nine goals, is one of Japan’s best players and scored in their 1-0 friendly win over England at Wembley in March.

He also played a major role in his country fear wins Beyond Germany and Spain at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where Japan lost on penalties to Croatia in the last 16.

Ajax defender Takehiro Tomiyasu made the 26-man squad, despite not playing for the Samurai Blue for nearly two years due to several injuries.

The centre-back, who currently plays for Ajax after his contract with Arsenal was terminated by mutual consent last year, last played for Japan in a World Cup qualifier against Syria on June 11, 2024. He was included in the squad for the March international window before his exit.

Crystal Palace’s Daichi Kamada, Liverpool’s Wataru Endo, Real Sociedad’s Takefusa Kubo and 39-year-old FC Tokyo defender Yuto Nagatomo were all included.

Wolfsburg’s Kento Shiogai, who won his first cap in Japan’s 1-0 win over Scotland in Glasgow in March, also made the cut.

Moriyasu will lead the team in the second World Cup as a coach.

Japan is scheduled to play their final match before the World Cup against Iceland on May 31. They will then travel to the team’s camp in Nashville, Tennessee, where Japan will train at the Nashville SC Training Center.

Their opening match against the Netherlands will be followed by matches against Tunisia in Monterrey, Mexico on June 20 and Sweden back in Arlington on June 25.

Team Japan in World Cup 2026:

Scorers: Zion Suzuki, Keisuke Osako, Tomoki Hayakawa.

Protectors: Yuto Nagatomo, Shogo Taniguchi, Ko Itakura, Tsuyoshi Watanabe, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Hiroki Ito, Ayumu Seko, Yukinari Sugawara, Junnosuke Suzuki.

Middle players: Wataru Endo, Junya Ito, Daichi Kamada, Ritsu Doan, Ao Tanaka, Kaishu Sano, Takefusa Kubo, Yuito Suzuki.

Players: Daizen Maeda, Koki Ogawa, Ayase Ueda, Keito Nakamura, Kento Shiogai, Keisuke Goto.