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Japan will play its final friendly match of the September-October international break when they host New Zealand at MUFG Stadium in Tokyo, Japan.
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Japan and New Zealand were part of the friendly tournament called the Kirin Cup, which involved them, Ecuador, and Panama. Japan vs. New Zealand will be the Kirin Cup Final.
In their previous match, New Zealand drew 1-1 with Panama in regular time. The game went to penalties and New Zealand won the penalty shootout 5-3.
Japan played Ecuador at Nissan Stadium and the game ended in a 0-0 draw. The match went to penalties, and Japan won the penalty shootout 5-4.
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Japan and New Zealand have not played each other since 2017, when they played each other in a friendly match. The game ended in a 2-1 win for Japan.
Expected Lineups for Japan and New Zealand
Japan
- Goalkeeper: Zion Suzuki
- Defenders: Hiroki Ito, Ko Itakura, Ayumu Seko
- Midfielders: Keito Nakamura, Ao Tanaka, Kaishu Sano, Ritsu Doan
- Forwards: Yuito Suzuki, Kaina Tanimura, Takefusa Kubo
New Zealand
- Goalkeeper: Alex Paulsen
- Defenders: Benjamin Old, Tyler Bindon, Michael Boxall, Callan Elliot
- Midfielders: Marko Stamenic, Alex Rufer, Elijah Just
- Forwards: Ben Waine, Chris Wood, Logan Rogerson
*REFRESH PAGE FOR OFFICIAL LINEUPS
Where to Watch Japan vs. New Zealand
Japan vs. New Zealand kicks off at 6:30 A.M. ET/ 3:30 A.M. PT in the United States. The match will kick off at 7:30 P.M. local time at MUFG Stadium in Tokyo, Japan.
The match will be available to watch in Japan and in New Zealand through select TV channels and streaming services. There are no select TV channels and streaming services in the United States to watch this game, but you would need a VPN.
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- TV Asahi nationwide network, TVer, ABEMA, DAZN (Japan)
- TVNZ+, FIFA+ via DAZN (New Zealand)
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This story was originally published October 5, 2026 at 1:40 AM.