⏭ Next global match
🇦🇺Australia vs Egypt🇪🇬
Round of 32 · Jul 4 · 3:00 AM JST · in 6h 20m · 📺 DAZN (stream/cable)
How to Watch World Cup 2026 in Japan
Every one of the 104 matches streams on DAZN, but you don't need to pay to follow the Samurai Blue: all of Japan's games — plus both semifinals and the final — are FREE, on NHK and commercial TV and on a free DAZN account. Want every match of the other big teams too? DAZN's full pass is ¥4,200/month (¥1,980/month for the first three if you join before 20 July; no free trial). Here's what's free, whether DAZN is worth it, and every kickoff in JST.
- 12 Jun – 20 Jul (JST)
- Japan's games free (NHK / free DAZN)
- DAZN: all 104 (¥4,200/mo, no free trial)
- NHK ~33 on 総合 + all 104 on BS4K
- Final: Mon 20 Jul · ~4 AM JST
- Samurai Blue out in Round of 32
104All on DAZN
¥4,200DAZN · month
¥0Japan's games + finals
~4 AMFinal · JST
World Cup 2026 Matches Today in Japan — Channel & JST Kickoff
Here's what's on today and for the next three days, with every kickoff in JST and a platform badge on each game. Every Samurai Blue game was free; most of the remaining ties stream on DAZN. Because the matches are in the Americas, they mostly land in the Japanese morning — 朝活 football. Tap ⏰ for a reminder, or catch the replay later.
Today, Fri, Jul 3 · times in Japan (JST)
No games in this local-date window. We refresh the moment the schedule moves — DAZN streams every match, with NHK and commercial TV on the free games, all converted to JST.
3 games in this window — 3 on DAZN, 0 free-to-air. Most kick off before or during work hours (JST). Tap ⏰ for a reminder, or catch up on DAZN 見逃し, NHK ONE or TVer.
- DAZNAll 104 · ¥4,200/mo (no free trial)
- free DAZNJapan games, semis & final (free account)
- NHK 総合~33 games + all 104 on BS4K
- 日テレ / フジCommercial free-to-air (25 games)
- TVerFree commercial catch-up
Following the Samurai Blue or Another Team? Find Every Match in JST
DAZN streams all 104, but Japan's games and the finals are free — so the question is which platform each match is on, and whether it's free. Pick a team to see every one of their matches in JST, with the channel and whether you need DAZN Standard.
Japan are out — but the finals stay free: both semifinals and the final (around 4 a.m. JST, Monday 20 July) are free on NHK and a free DAZN account. For every other team's full run, DAZN Standard (¥4,200/mo) is the all-104 pass.
+ Full schedule soon
Japan · all matches (times in Japan (JST))
- Group F2nd, behind NetherlandsAll free on NHK / 民放📺 NHK / 日テレ Free
- Round of 32vs BrazilOut · 1–2 (Sano)📺 NHK + DAZN Free(L 1–2)
✓ The Samurai Blue reached the knockouts as Group F runners-up, then went out 1–2 to Brazil in the Round of 32 — every Japan game was free. The semifinals and final stay free too.
Following a team? Where and when to watch in Japan (JST):
- Japan (Samurai Blue) — out in the Round of 32, beaten 1–2 by Brazil; every Japan game was free on NHK/commercial TV, and the semis and final stay free.
- Brazil — knocked Japan out 2–1 and are through to the Round of 16 vs Norway; on DAZN in Japan.
- Argentina (Messi) — Round of 32 vs Cape Verde at 7 a.m. JST — a 朝活 kickoff, on DAZN.
- Spain — Round of 32 vs Austria at 4 a.m. JST on DAZN.
- Portugal (Ronaldo) — Round of 32 vs Croatia at 8 a.m. JST on DAZN.
The rule in Japan: Japan's games, both semifinals and the final are free (NHK / commercial TV / a free DAZN account). For every other match — all 104 — DAZN Standard is the one subscription that has it all.
DAZN, NHK & the Commercial Channels, Explained
Japan's World Cup is split between DAZN and free TV. DAZN is the only service with every game; NHK and the commercial networks (Nippon TV, Fuji TV) carry the Samurai Blue and the biggest matches free. Here's exactly what each one has.
| Platform | Language | Matches | Free? | How to get it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DAZN Standard | Japanese | All 104 live + replay | $ ¥4,200/mo (no free trial) | App / web / smart TV |
| DAZN (free account) | Japanese | Japan's games + semis + final | FREE Free (name + email) | App / web |
| NHK 総合 | Japanese | ~33 (opener, final, Japan) | FREE Free (受信料) | Terrestrial + NHK ONE |
| NHK BS Premium 4K | Japanese | All 104 (some delayed) | FREE Free (受信料) | 4K satellite |
| 日本テレビ / フジテレビ | Japanese | 25 (incl. Japan) | FREE Free | Terrestrial + TVer |
For the Samurai Blue and the biggest games, terrestrial TV plus a free DAZN account cover you at ¥0. For all 104 — every team — DAZN Standard is the one subscription that has it all, at ¥4,200/month (¥1,980 for the first three months if you join before 20 July). NHK isn't a paywall: it's the public broadcaster funded by the 受信料 most households already pay, with no extra World Cup charge.
⚠ Two things guides get wrong: (1) DAZN has no free trial — it was discontinued in 2022, so start a paid month only when you're ready. (2) DAZN Global (¥980) and the free tier do NOT cover all the paid World Cup matches — you need DAZN Standard for every game.
World Cup 2026 Kickoff Times in Japan (JST) — an Early-Morning Tournament
Japan is on JST (UTC+9) and the matches are in the Americas, so most kick off in the Japanese morning — a US East Coast 7 p.m. game is 8 a.m. JST the next day, a West Coast 7 p.m. is 11 a.m. JST. A few land overnight, and the final (Monday 20 July JST) is around 4 a.m. No midnight marathons like India: set an alarm, not a sleepless night.
| US kickoff | Japan (JST) | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| 12:00 noon ET | 1:00 AM JST | 🟡 Late night |
| 3:00 PM ET | 4:00 AM JST | 🔴 Overnight (incl. final) |
| 7:00 PM ET | 8:00 AM JST | 🌅 Morning (朝活) |
| 7:00 PM PT | 11:00 AM JST | ☕ Late morning |
| Final · 3:00 PM ET | 4:00 AM JST | 🏆 Mon 20 Jul |
Can't make the 4 a.m. final? NHK ONE has catch-up for NHK games, DAZN has full replays (見逃し配信), and commercial games are on TVer — watch over breakfast, spoiler-free if you can dodge the group chat.
World Cup 2026 in Japan: What's Free vs DAZN
Here's the decision every Japanese fan is making: is the free coverage enough, or do you pay for DAZN? Japan's games, both semifinals and the final are free — so for a lot of fans the answer is ¥0. Here's the honest breakdown.
FREE · Japan’s games, both semis & the final (NHK / free DAZN account)
Japan's games & the finals — free
Every Samurai Blue game, both semifinals and the final are free on NHK, commercial TV and a free DAZN account (name + email).
Every match? DAZN Standard
DAZN is the only all-104 stream at ¥4,200/mo — ¥1,980/mo for the first three months if you join before 20 July. No free trial.
All 104 in 4K on NHK BS
NHK BS Premium 4K carries all 104 games (some delayed), free with the 受信料 most households already pay.
Catch up over breakfast
Miss a dawn kickoff? NHK ONE, DAZN 見逃し replays and TVer let you watch later — spoiler-free if you dodge the group chat.
Want every match of Argentina, Brazil or Spain — all 104?Compare free TV vs DAZN ¥4,200 →
How Much Does DAZN Cost for the World Cup 2026 in Japan?
Japan's games and the finals are free, so DAZN is only for the full 104. Here's what it actually costs — and why there's no free trial.
as of Jul 2026
| Option | Language | Matches | Price | Free trial | Semis + Final? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. DAZN (free account) | Japanese | Japan's games + finals | Free | — | ✅ Yes |
| 2. NHK 総合 / BS4K | Japanese | ~33 live + all 104 (BS4K) | Free (受信料) | — | ✅ Yes |
| 3. 日テレ / フジ (free-to-air) | Japanese | 25 games | Free | — | ✅ Partial |
| 4. DAZN Standard (monthly) | Japanese | All 104 | ¥4,200/mo (≈ $26) | No trial | ✅ Yes |
| 5. DAZN 応援放題 (first 3 mo) | Japanese | All 104 | ¥1,980/mo (before 20 Jul) | No trial | ✅ Yes |
DAZN Standard is ¥4,200/month, or ¥1,980/month for the first three months if you join before 20 July (¥32,000 for a year). It's the only service with all 104 games — but there's no free trial (dropped in 2022), and DAZN Global (¥980) does not cover the World Cup. Only want the Samurai Blue and the finals? Those are free on NHK, the commercial channels and a free DAZN account — ¥0.
Following the Samurai Blue? Japan's World Cup 2026, and Where to Watch
Japan reached the knockouts as Group F runners-up, behind the Netherlands — with every group game live and free on NHK and the commercial channels, and free on a DAZN account. Their run ended in the Round of 32, where they lost 1–2 to Brazil in Houston (Kaishu Sano with the goal).
🇯🇵 Samurai Blue — out in the Round of 32 (to Brazil) (times in Japan (JST))
🔒 To follow another team's full run, DAZN Standard (¥4,200/mo) has all 104 — but the semifinals and final stay free on NHK and a free DAZN account.
- Group F ✓ 2nd
- Round of 32 · out 1–2 vs Brazil
- Semifinals · free on NHK
- Final · free (NHK / DAZN)
- Final · 20 Jul · ~4 AM JST
A gutting way to go — Japan gave Brazil a real game before losing 1–2 in the Round of 32. The good news for late-night watchers: the rest of the tournament, including both semifinals and the final (around 4 a.m. JST, Monday 20 July), stays free on NHK and a free DAZN account. Ueda and Kamada each scored twice in the group — now pick a team to follow with the bracket.
🏆 WatchWC26
Japanese, but Overseas for the World Cup?
DAZN Japan and NHK ONE are geo-locked to Japan — from the US, Brazil, Australia or Europe they won't play. If you subscribe to DAZN back home and want the Japanese commentary, a VPN lets you connect to a Japanese server and watch the coverage you're paying for.
DAZNNHK日テレフジTVer
How to watch DAZN Japan from abroad →For Japanese residents connecting to their own subscribed DAZN or home broadcasters while travelling. We list official, legal broadcasters only and never link to pirated streams.
Printable World Cup 2026 Products
Watching the match is one job. Hosting everyone around it is another. If you are the person organizing the office pool, the pub table, the classroom activity or the family watch party, these printable products save you from building everything from scratch before kick-off.
World Cup 2026 Office Pool Template
$7.99A ready-to-copy Google Sheet with player setup, team draw, automatic leaderboard, payout calculator and a printable PDF kit. Built for the person who has to keep the pool fair, organized and easy to explain.
- Google Sheet
- Leaderboard
- Payout calculator
- Printable PDF kit
World Cup 2026 Bingo Mega Party Pack
$4.99 launchTwo printable bingo games in one download — 60 Flag Bingo cards plus 48 country calling cards, and 30 Moment Bingo cards — for watch parties, offices, pubs, classrooms and family match nights. A4 and US Letter PDFs, with simple rules anyone can spot.
- 90 printable cards
- A4 + US Letter
- Simple rules
- Party-ready PDFs
World Cup 2026 in Japan — Your Questions, Answered
Yes — all of Japan’s games were on free terrestrial TV (NHK / Nippon TV) and free on a DAZN account. Both semifinals and the final are free on NHK and a free DAZN account too.
Only to watch every match / all 104. Japan’s games and the finals are free. DAZN Standard is ¥4,200/month (¥1,980/month for the first three months if you join before 20 July) — with no free trial.
No — DAZN Japan dropped its free trial in 2022. The alternative is the 応援放題 offer: ¥1,980/month for the first three months if you subscribe before 20 July. A free DAZN account still shows Japan’s games and the finals.
No. DAZN Global (¥980/month) and the free tier don’t cover all the paid World Cup matches — you need DAZN Standard.
NHK 総合 shows around 33 games (opener, final, Japan’s games) and BS Premium 4K carries all 104. It’s funded by the 受信料 most households already pay — no extra World Cup charge.
Around 4 a.m. JST on Monday 20 July — free on NHK and a free DAZN account. Most games run 5 a.m.–1 p.m. JST; use NHK ONE, DAZN 見逃し or TVer to catch up.
It is geo-locked to Japan; if you subscribe, you can reconnect with a VPN via our watch-from-abroad guide.
Sources & last updated
Sources: DAZN Japan (plans) · Goal Japan · Impress AV Watch · Gekisaka
Last updated: 2 July 2026.
Written and fact-checked by the WatchWC26 editorial team. About our editorial standards.
We list official, legal broadcasters only (DAZN, NHK, Nippon TV, Fuji TV, TVer). We never link to pirated streams. Channels, prices and schedules are checked against each broadcaster's official announcements — see Sources above.