Japan is coming to North America, and maybe Houston. The Blue Samari defeated Bahrain at Saitama Stadium in Saitama, Japan, on Thursday to book the team's spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It is the first country outside of the three host nations — the U.

FIFA World Cup 2026 will make history, and qualifying has already begun for the tournament hosted by Canada, USA, and Mexico.

The World Cup returns to the United States for the first time since 1994. The USMNT, Canadian and Mexican national teams were all invited to the tournament as host nations. The th