Fresh off a first-place finish at the SheBelieves Cup, the United States Women’s National Team is back in action and ramping up toward the fall’s CONCACAF W Championship that will determine World Cup qualifying. Japan is next on the docket for three consecutive friendlies, a scheduling curio which “presents a great challenge and a test against a top-quality opponent.” The Asian powerhouse is seeking to return to the elite level but has struggled to clinch silverware at international competitions.
The first match is scheduled for PayPal Park in San Jose, California, an 18,000-seat venue with a hybrid surface; Lumen Field – a 68,740-seat arena in Seattle, Washington, with recently installed grass – hosts the second fixture; matchup number three will be at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado, which seats 18,350 spectators and has a Kentucky bluegrass pitch.
These are the 43rd, 44th, and 45th all-time meetings between the two sides, with the USWNT holding a 32-2-8 advantage but falling in the finale of last summer’s SheBelieves Cup (1-2). Ranked fifth internationally by FIFA, Japan had a mixed 2025 with a bronze medal at the EAFF E-1 Football Championship and an encouraging pair of friendly victories over Canada (3-0, 1-0). This year got off to a phenomenal start with a title at the AFC Asian Cup; なでしこジャパン (Nadeshiko Japan) rolled Group C with wins against Chinese Taipei (2-0), India (11-0), and Vietnam (4-0), followed by dispatching the Philippines (7-0), South Korea (4-1), and Australia (1-0) in the quarterfinal, semifinal, and final rounds, respectively.
However, a mere 12 days after the tournament closed, Nils Nielsen departed from the head coach position at the expiration of his contract, with some domestic reports speculating on his inability to win the World Cup. A successor is expected to be hired shortly after the upcoming friendlies; Michihisa Kano has been named to an interim role. The 49-year-old Osakan previously led the Under-20 team to a silver medal at the 2024 Under-20 World Cup.
Kano named a 24-player roster for the trio of friendlies. The domestic WE League is home to two call-ups, while 15 compete in the Women’s Super League, four are on the books of clubs in the National Women’s Soccer League, two ply their trade in Germany’s Frauen-Bundesliga, and one can be found in the Liga F in Spain. Notable absences include Rion Ishikawa, Yui Narumiya, Narumi Miura, and Yoshino Nakashima.
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GOALKEEPERS (3): Yamashita Ayaka (Manchester City), Hirao Chika (Granada CF), Okuma Akane (INAC Kobe Leonessa)
DEFENDERS (8): Kumagai Saki (London City Lionesses), Shimizu Risa (Liverpool FC), Moriya Miyabi (Utah Royals), Kitagawa Hikaru (Everton), Minami Moeka (Brighton & Hove Albion), Takahashi Hana (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Urawa Reds Ladies), Yamamoto Yuzuki (Denver Summit FC), Koga Tōko (Tottenham Hotspur)
MIDFIELDERS (10): Seike Kiko (Brighton & Hove Albion), Hasegawa Yui (Manchester City), Hayashi Honoka (Everton), Nagano Fuka (Liverpool FC), Chiba Remina (Eintracht Frankfurt), Miyazawa Hinata (Manchester United), Fujino Aoba (Manchester City), Hamano Maika (Tottenham Hotspur), Matsukubo Manaka (North Carolina Courage), Tanikawa Momoko (Bayern Munich)
FORWARDS (3): Tanaka Mina (Utah Royals), Ueki Riko (West Ham United), Hijikata Maya (Aston Villa)
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Under Nielsen, Japan deployed the traditional 4-3-3 formation and sought greater tactical versatility as well as increased “mileage and speed” of play, desiring a “positive and bold” game. Winning the second ball and handling the press were issues last summer, which caused an overreliance on long-distance passing; additionally, defending in transition needs improvement. Attacks tend to flow through the wings, with certain figures relied upon to hit early crosses or make runs toward the center.
As expected from the number one at Manchester City, Ayaka Yamashita displays “composure on the ball,” is willing to leave her line to contest opponents, and claims crosses. She has the agility to get to ground quickly and takes risks, both during the build-up and with advanced positioning when getting ready for a save. Akane Okuma has begun picking up caps and appears to have been tabbed as the primary backup, providing a stable style defined by deliberate footwork and safe handling. The 21-year-old INAC Kobe Leonessa goalkeeper will use any available body part to make stops and has the presence of mind to track back and tip over the bar or readjust for deflections.
Tottenham’s Tōko Koga will deploy at several positions, using her athleticism to propel herself into trouble in any zone and steer away potential danger with a clean touch or a well-earned header. She is supremely comfortable when building out of the back and will easily sidestep the initial pressure before playing a smart pass or taking the initiative to progress up the field. Saki Kumagai of London City Lionesses is a reliable veteran presence who can direct traffic, make sense of the chaos, and put the ball virtually anywhere on the field with the most precise distribution. Also capable of lining up in the midfield, Total Football Analysis points to her ability to “guarantee security” and add “compactness,” while The Guardian notes her “vocal leadership.” Moeka Minami is in her first season with Brighton after several campaigns with Roma, quickly jumping into the starting lineup with her scintillating distribution and aerial prowess. There is also quite a bit of finesse and finishing skill when given the opportunity to participate in the final third, creating space with well-timed contact and putting her headers on net.
Everton’s Hikaru Kitagawa is enjoying a busy debut season in the Women’s Super League, delivering on her hype as being a one-on-one shutdown artist and “intelligent, really comfortable on the ball, and [ready] to contribute to the attack.” She is an effective creator on the wing with the ability to find teammates utilizing drilled balls whether from a deeper area or pushing into the more advanced zones. Named the AFC Women’s Player of the Year in 2025, Hana Takahashi can slot into several positions and brings “speed, excellent athletic ability, and good footwork” with both her right and her left. The 26-year-old Urawa Reds defender has been working to increase proficiency in the build-up phase and become a more physical presence, making an impact on both sides of the game. Miyabi Moriya recently swapped NWSL jerseys from Angel City to the Utah Royals, another two-way option who can help to regain possession and contribute the occasional assist. The Kanmaki native constantly looks to push the tempo and brings energy off the dribble, working her way to the endline before hitting a centering pass or registering an attempt of her own. Risa Shimizu is on loan at Liverpool from Manchester City and has seen her Japan influence wane while dealing with an anterior cruciate ligament rupture, but her dynamic overlapping and intelligent movements add potency to the squad. Stellar command and control make her an asset in the build-up and progression phases, while quick recovery helps to prevent the opponent from making headway in transition.
Hinata Miyazawa puts in hard work on and off the ball with the ability to connect the entire formation during the build-up phase and control the rhythm of her team’s play. The 26-year-old Manchester United midfielder likes to make quick turns out of pressure and swing her passes to the opposite side of the field, taking advantage of the open space. Manchester City’s Yui Hasegawa is one of the chief creative forces in the center and the final third with evasive dribbling, tight control, beguiling distribution, and a nose for the goal. She has the physical wherewithal to withstand contact and dart through multiple opponents, takes the occasional risk to work out of trouble, and will press defenders in order to force turnovers. A leader of the growing young core, Manaka Matsukubo is several seasons into her tenure with the North Carolina Courage and capped the last campaign by being named NWSL Midfielder of the Year after contributing 11 goals and four assists. Playing a high line and always looking to break into the space behind, her impressive off-ball work can create just as many chances as her impressive vision and dizzying array of moves. Momoko Tanikawa of Bayern Munich has “incredibly fine technique” and sees things that others cannot, providing “little moments of art in every touch” with finesse and athleticism. Capable of maintaining possession for several seconds in attacking areas and forming quick combinations with teammates, her ability to pull a quick shot with either foot can test goalkeepers. Fūka Nagano is a hard-tackling spark plug who racks up interceptions and can set the tone by forcing turnovers and running the show with shrewd decision-making in all zones. Impetus Football describes her as a “deep-lying distributor” who can build from deep, split and stretch foes, and provide cover to the centre-backs, freeing up teammates to push higher.
Aoba Fujino is a “blisteringly quick attacker with a calmness in front of goal” and “constantly a threat when creating and finishing chances,” at her best when playing off the shoulder of a target striker. The 22-year-old Manchester City winger charges through the half-spaces with darting runs, equally comfortable at the corner of the box to head toward the touchline for a lifted cross or moving inside for a shot. On loan at Tottenham from Chelsea, the “technically gifted and intelligent” Maika Hamano has “high energy levels” and “the quality and adaptability to be used in multiple positions,” displaying “creativity, movement, and composure in the final third.” She puts in the work to press the opponent and tracks back deep in the formation in order to receive and facilitate possession, often progressing her side into the advanced zones and sometimes hitting the final pass. In addition to being a streaky scorer with a varied skill set, Brighton’s Kiko Seike adds “wide support in defense” and can also line up at centre-back and wing-back. The 2023 AFC Women’s Footballer of the Year cheats into the central zones and has a deliberate, grinding style that always pushes her forward, bouncing off contact and making a smart decision. Yuzuki Yamamoto of Denver Summit is an “emerging talent” who “made an impact at the EAFF E-1 Football Championship,” potentially a versatile weapon if the switch is made from the 4-3-3 to the 3-5-2. With a powerful strike and a desire to force the game, her upbeat style can result in finishes against the run of play, with the agent of chaos tricking through the crowd and threading the needle.
Mina Tanaka typically leads the formation and has maintained steady production for Japan, looking “energetic and dangerous” in the final third with the capacity from short range and long distance. The Thailand-born striker has a delicate touch on the ball with the control to corral possession and turn while under pressure and create a few extra seconds for herself in the box. Riko Ueki of West Ham is still seeking to replicate the production of earlier in her career but can still help the greater cause by operating as a facilitator. When on her game, the 26-year-old forward is a fantastic poacher who can punish mistakes by the defenders and can convert crosses, rising above the crowd and winning headers at a rate that belies her five-foot-four height.
This particular series has a long and storied history, which will be lengthened by three friendlies during this international window. For now, the hosts appear to be on the rise, while Japan is searching for the answer to how to return to international glory, having reclaimed regional supremacy and buoyed by an emerging young core. Results should vary over the series, particularly as rosters shift and tactical variations are employed.
The first match is scheduled for Saturday, April 11th at 5:30 p.m. Eastern, 2:30 p.m. Pacific. Viewing options include TNT, truTV, HBO Max, Universo, Peacock, and FuboTV (free trial).
The second match is scheduled for Tuesday, April 14th at 10:00 p.m. Eastern, 7:00 p.m. Pacific. Viewing options include TNT, truTV, HBO Max, Universo, Peacock, and FuboTV (free trial).
The third match is scheduled for Friday, April 17th at 9:00 p.m. Eastern, 6:00 p.m. Pacific. Viewing options include TNT, truTV, HBO Max, Universo, Peacock, and FuboTV (free trial).
