Australia–Japan football rivalry

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.

Australia–Japan football rivalry

Australia played against Japan at the 2006 FIFA World Cup
Other names	Socceroos vs Samurai Blue
Location	Asia (AFC)
Teams	Australia  Japan
First meeting	27 November 1956 1956 Summer Olympics Australia 2–0 Japan
Latest meeting	5 June 2025 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification Australia 1–0 Japan
Statistics
Meetings total	29
Most wins	Japan (11)
All-time series	Australia: 8 Drawn: 10 Japan: 11
Australia Japan

Origins

Socceroos supporters at a Japan match in Kaiserslautern

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.

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

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 20 February 2025

Team	GP	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD
Australia	30	8	9	13	37	47	–10
Japan	30	13	9	8	47	37	+10

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

• Australia–New Zealand soccer rivalry
• Australia–South Korea football rivalry
• Australia–Uruguay football rivalry
• Japan–South Korea football rivalry