2026 World Cup Round of 32: Brazil vs Japan Preview, Odds and Predictions (June 29)

• When: Monday, June 29, 2026. 1:00 PM ET
• Where: NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas, United States
• How to Watch: FOX

The 2026 World Cup starts the knockout stage with the Round of 32 being active as one matchup takes place in Houston as Brazil takes on Japan. Both squads are fighting for a place in the Round of 16, meaning there will be plenty of pressure on both nations in this elimination game.

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Brazil Stats & Team News

Brazil has significant momentum following back-to-back 3-0 wins over Haiti and Scotland, topping Group C to advance to the next round. They also have veteran superstar Neymar back in the rotation following his first appearance since 2023 against Scotland, elevating the attack to another level with his playmaking abilities.

Neymar will likely come off the bench 60 minutes into the game to adjust the offense and add more explosiveness to the offense. In the meantime, Vinicius Junior and Matheus Cunha will look to continue providing goals for Brazil as Rayan and Lucas Paqueta seek to have big performances against a competitive Japan squad.

Likely Lineup:

(4-1-2-3) Alisson (GK); Danilo, Marquinhos, Gabriel, Santos; Casemiro; Guimarães, Paquetá; Rayan, Cunha, Vini Jr.

Japan Stats & Team News

Japan continues to showcase a competitive spirit despite missing several key players due to injury. They finished second in Group F behind the Netherlands, getting one win and two draws. The Japanese will their toughest matchup this tournament against a Brazil side that is only getting better with each match.

Japan boasts a balanced attack that saw five different players score seven goals throughout the group stage. Daichi Kamada leads with two goals, as Ayase Ueda and Daizen Maeda look to keep Brazilian defenders honest with their quality shot creation.

Likely Lineup:

(3-4-2-1) Suzuki (GK) Tomiyasu, Itakura, Ito; Sugawara, Tanaka, Kamada, Nakamura; Doan, Maeda; Ueda

Head-to-Head Stats

• This is the eighth all-time meeting between Brazil and Japan.
• Brazil leads with six wins and one loss in the all-time series against Japan.
• This marks the third competitive meeting between the nations, first since the 2013 Confederations Cup.

Brazil vs. Japan World Cup Picks

This game will be a quality match a both teams will trade blows on the offensive side of the ball. Japan has the speed and counters to put Brazil on its heels. However, Japan’s defense will have tough time keeping Vinicius Junior and Rayan away from goal with their speed and eye for goal. It would be safe to believe that Brazil will come out of the match with a 3-1 win.