Australia–Japan football rivalry

Australia–Japan football rivalry
Australia played against Japan at the 2006 FIFA World Cup
Other namesSocceroos vs Samurai Blue
LocationAsia (AFC)
Teams Australia
 Japan
First meeting27 November 1956
Summer Olympics
Australia 2–0 Japan
Latest meeting5 June 2025
2026 FIFA World Cup qualification
Australia 1–0 Japan
Statistics
Meetings total29
Most winsJapan (11)
All-time seriesAustralia: 8
Drawn: 10
Japan: 11
Australia
Japan

The Australia–Japan football rivalry is a sports rivalry that exists between the national association football teams of each country, regarded as one of Asia's biggest football rivalries.[1] The rivalry is a relatively recent one, born from several highly competitive matches between the two teams since Australia joined the Asian Football Confederation in 2006.[2] The two teams have played each other in several significant matches, including a World Cup group stage match, the 2011 Asian Cup final and have been drawn in the same group in five consecutive World Cup qualification campaigns.

Origins

The first match between the two teams was played at the 1956 Olympics, ending in a 2–0 win for the Australians.[3] Another dozen matches were played between Australia and Japan until a semi-final match at the 2001 Confederations Cup which ended in a 1–0 for Japan, but the match-up only emerged as a rivalry after 2006, when Australia joined the AFC, especially the FIFA World Cup qualification games. The first match between the two sides after this was during the 2006 FIFA World Cup, a group stage game where Australia was still technically competing as Oceania representatives. With just six minutes left, Japan led by a single goal, only for Australia to score thrice in succession to secure their first-ever win in a World Cup finals match in what is regarded as one of the greatest moments in Australian sporting history.[4]

Several fierce qualifying matches over the next few years enhanced the rivalry, and Japan got revenge for their World Cup defeat by knocking the Socceroos out of the 2007 AFC Asian Cup at the quarter-finals on penalties. In 2011, Japan again beat the Socceroos in an Asian Cup, this time in the final with a solitary goal in extra time sealing the title.

Men's matches

No. Date Competition Home team Score Away team Venue
1 27 November 1956 1956 Olympic Games Australia  2–0  Japan Olympic Park, Melbourne
2 30 March 1968 International friendly Australia  2–2  Japan Sydney Showground, Sydney
3 31 March 1968 Australia  3–1  Japan Olympic Park, Melbourne
4 4 April 1968 Australia  1–3  Japan Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide
5 10 October 1969 1970 World Cup qualification Japan  1–3  Australia Dongdaemun Stadium, Seoul
6 16 October 1969 Japan  1–1  Australia Dongdaemun Stadium, Seoul
7 22 May 1994 Kirin Cup Japan  1–1  Australia Big Arch Stadium, Hiroshima
8 29 September 1994 International Friendly Japan  0–0  Australia National Stadium, Tokyo
9 15 February 1995 Australia  2–1  Japan Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney
10 10 February 1996 Australia  1–4  Japan Brandon Park, Wollongong
11 14 February 1996 Australia  3–0  Japan Lakeside Stadium, Melbourne
12 15 February 1998 Australia  0–3  Japan Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide
13 8 June 2001 2001 Confederations Cup Japan  1–0  Australia International Stadium, Yokohama
14 15 August 2001 2001 AFC–OFC Challenge Cup Japan  3–0  Australia Shizuoka Stadium, Shizuoka
15 12 June 2006 2006 World Cup Australia  3–1  Japan Fritz-Walter-Stadion, Kaiserslautern
16 21 July 2007 2007 Asian Cup Japan  1–1 (a.e.t.)
(4–3 p)		  Australia Mỹ Đình National Stadium, Hanoi
17 11 February 2009 2010 World Cup qualification Japan  0–0  Australia International Stadium, Yokohama
18 17 June 2009 Australia  2–1  Japan Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
19 29 January 2011 2011 Asian Cup Australia  0–1 (a.e.t.)  Japan Khalifa International Stadium, Doha
20 12 June 2012 2014 World Cup qualification Australia  1–1  Japan Brisbane Stadium, Brisbane
21 4 June 2013 Japan  1–1  Australia Saitama Stadium 2002, Saitama
22 25 July 2013 2013 East Asian Cup Japan  3–2  Australia Hwaseong Stadium, Hwaseong
23 18 November 2014 International Friendly Japan  2–1  Australia Nagai Stadium, Osaka
24 11 October 2016 2018 World Cup qualification Australia  1–1  Japan Docklands Stadium, Melbourne
25 31 August 2017 Japan  2–0  Australia Saitama Stadium 2002, Saitama
26 12 October 2021 2022 World Cup qualification Japan  2–1  Australia Saitama Stadium 2002, Saitama
27 24 March 2022 Australia  0–2  Japan Stadium Australia, Sydney
28 15 October 2024 2026 World Cup qualification Japan  1–1  Australia Saitama Stadium 2002, Saitama
29 5 June 2025 Australia  1–0  Japan Perth Stadium, Perth

Women's matches

Like their men's counterparts, the two nations also have a strong rivalry in the women's game, with both Australia and Japan among Asia's highest ranked nations. Although the first matches started in the 1980s, the two have met regularly in both friendly and competitive matches, in particular having competed often in the AFC Women's Asian Cup and having met in three Asian Cup finals.

Since Australia joined Asian Football Confederation in 2006, both Matildas and Nadeshiko became two of the only three Asian nations to finish in the top four of the FIFA Women's World Cup (Japan crowned champions in 2011 and runners-up in 2015 while Australia finish fourth in the 2023 edition).

No. Date Competition Home team Score Away team Venue
1 22 October 1984 Xi'an Women's Tournament Australia  6–2  Japan Xi'an
2 8 December 1984 World Invitational Australia  2–2  Japan Taipei
3 4 December 1989 Prima Cup Japan  2–2  Australia Kanagawa
4 5 December 1989 Prima Cup Japan  1–1  Australia Kanagawa
5 27 September 1994 Friendly Japan  2–2  Australia Tokyo
6 9 July 1996 Friendly Japan  2–2  Australia Fort Lauderdale
7 31 May 2000 Pacific Cup Australia  1–0  Japan Bruce Stadium, Canberra
8 6 April 2002 Tournoi International de France Australia  1–1  Japan Stade Lebon, Angoulême
9 27 July 2003 Three Nations Tournament Japan  0–0  Australia Yurtec Stadium Sendai, Sendai
10 26 March 2005 Two Match Friendly Series Australia  0–2  Japan Sydney Olympic Stadium, Sydney
11 29 March 2005 Two Match Friendly Series Australia  2–1  Japan Seymour Shaw Park, Sydney
12 23 July 2005 Friendly Japan  4–2  Australia Tokyo
13 27 July 2006 2006 AFC Women's Asian Cup Australia  2–0  Japan Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide
14 19 November 2006 Friendly Japan  1–0  Australia Tokyo
15 2 June 2008 2008 AFC Women's Asian Cup Australia  1–3  Japan Thống Nhất Stadium, Hồ Chí Minh City
16 8 June 2008 Australia  0–3  Japan
17 24 July 2008 Friendly Japan  3–0  Australia Kobe
18 27 May 2010 2010 AFC Women's Asian Cup Japan  0–1  Australia Chengdu Sports Centre. Chengdu
19 5 September 2011 2012 Summer Olympics qualification Japan  1–0  Australia Shandong Provincial Stadium, Jinan
20 11 July 2012 Friendly Japan  3–0  Australia National Stadium (Tokyo), Tokyo
21 14 May 2014 2014 AFC Women's Asian Cup Australia  2–2  Japan Thống Nhất Stadium, Hồ Chí Minh City
22 25 May 2014 Japan  1–0  Australia
23 27 June 2015 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup Australia  0–1  Japan Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton
24 29 February 2016 2016 AFC Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament Australia  3–1  Japan Yodoko Sakura Stadium, Osaka
25 30 July 2017 2017 Tournament of Nations Japan  2–4  Australia San Diego Stadium, San Diego
26 13 April 2018 2018 AFC Women's Asian Cup Japan  1–1  Australia Amman International Stadium, Amman
27 20 April 2018 Japan  1–0  Australia
28 2 August 2018 2018 Tournament of Nations Australia  2–0  Japan SeatGeek Stadium, Bridgeview
29 14 July 2021 Friendly Japan  1–0  Australia Sanga Stadium by Kyocera, Kameoka
30 20 February 2025 SheBelieves Cup Japan  4–0  Australia Shell Energy Stadium, Houston
31 21 March 2026 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup Japan  1–0  Australia Stadium Australia, Sydney

Overall

Men

As of 5 June 2025
Team GP W D L GF GA GD
Australia 29 8 10 11 34 40 –6
Japan 29 11 10 8 40 34 +6

Women

As of 21 March 2026
Team GP W D L GF GA GD
Australia 31 8 9 14 37 48 –11
Japan 31 14 9 8 48 37 +11

Top scorers

As of 5 June 2025

Players in bold are still available for selection.

Rank Player Goals
1 Tim Cahill 5
2 Kunishige Kamamoto 4
3 Tommy McColl 3
6 John Aloisi 2
Ray Baartz
Takashi Hirano
Hidetoshi Nakata
Kaoru Mitoma
Takuya Takagi
Yuya Osako

See also

References

  1. ^ "Highlights". Foxtel.com.au. Archived from the original on 16 November 2014. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
  2. ^ Sebastian Hassett (9 March 2012). "Socceroos to resume Japan rivalry in qualifying group for Brazil". SMH.com.au. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
  3. ^ "Socceroo 1956 Matches". Ozfootball.net. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
  4. ^ "Socceroos give Japan football rivalry free from baggage, John Duerden says". Foxsports.com.au. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.