Ranking the World Cup 2026 groups: Which teams are favourites to progress?
The first stage of the 2026 World Cup 2026 features 12 groups. We’ve ranked them and picked the favourites to advance.
![Tomoki Hayakawa, center, of the Japanese national soccer team arrives at their hotel in Monterrey, Mexico, Tuesday, June 2, 2026 [Jorge Mendoza/AP]](/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/image-1780519703.jpg?resize=770%2C513&quality=80)
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Mitoma fails to make Japan’s 2026 World Cup squad due to hamstring injury
Monaco forward Takumi Minamino also misses out due to injury, but ex-Arsenal defender Takehiro Tomiyasu makes the cut.
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Japanese snacks go black-and-white: Why Iran war is driving up ink prices
Calbee says it would temporarily use only black and white colours on 14 of its products due to a lack of printing ink.
Japan suspends Australian rugby coach Jones for verbally abusing officials
Eddie Jones suspended for four games over ‘verbal abuse’ of officials during Australian tour.
From: NewsFeed
Japan PM: Hormuz closure ‘inflicting enormous impact’ on Asia Pacific
Japan’s PM says the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz is ‘inflicting an ‘enormous impact’ on Asia Pacific.
Published On 4 May 2026
Japan PM says oil crisis having ‘enormous impact’ in Asia Pacific
Sanae Takaichi makes comments during a visit to Australia, where she signs agreements on energy supplies.
Japan’s Inoue beats Nakatani to retain undisputed super bantamweight title
Naoya Inoue wins 116-112, 115-113, 116-112 in a fight billed as the biggest boxing match in Japanese history.
Japan’s Takaichi pledges deeper energy cooperation with Vietnam
Takaichi signs six agreements with Vietnam, including on technology, agriculture and space, during a trip to Hanoi.
From: NewsFeed
Humanoid robots being trialled as airport workers in Japan
Japan Airlines says it will trial humanoid robots as workers at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport.
Published On 30 Apr 2026
FOIP at 10: Bridging the Indo-Pacific and the Middle East
Adapting to a changing world, Japan advances cooperation on security, supply chains, and sustainable development.
Japan builds up its ‘southern shield’ as faith in US security cover falters
Japan is pushing the legal limit of ‘defence’ as it faces its ‘most severe and complex security environment’ since 1945.
![United States President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi walk on the USS George Washington, an aircraft carrier docked at a US naval base, before speaking to members of the military in Yokosuka, south of Tokyo, on October 28, 2025 [Mark Schiefelbein/AP]](/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/AP25301364841273-1776925513.jpg?resize=770%2C513&quality=80)
