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2026 FIFA World Cup™: Sweden vs. Japan – Preview, How to Watch

By Nicole O’Reilly-Barash
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2026 FIFA World Cup™: Sweden vs. Japan – Preview, How to Watch

Sweden faces Japan in Group F at the 2026 FIFA World Cup™, live from Dallas Stadium on June 25, 2026. Here’s how to watch live on TV.

  • Time: 7:00 PM ET
  • Location: Dallas Stadium, Arlington, TX
  • TV Channels: FOX, FS1, Universo

How to Watch Sweden vs. Japan on June 25, 2026

You can watch Japan take on Sweden live on DIRECTV on FOX, FS1 and Universo on June 25, 2026 at 7:00 PM ET.

Sweden (1-1-0) vs. Japan (1-0-1) — Group F Match Preview

Sweden and Japan meet in what amounts to a knockout match in everything but name, as both sides take the field at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas with their Group F advancement scenarios hinging on the result.

Sweden arrive with a 1-1-0 record and four points from two matches, while Japan sit at 1-0-1 with three points, leaving both sides firmly in the race for a place in the knockout rounds.

Graham Potter’s Sweden qualified via the UEFA Nations League playoff path, making them the first European nation to reach this World Cup that way, and they return to the tournament stage for the first time since 2018. Japan, in their 8th consecutive World Cup under Hajime Moriyasu, came in having beaten Germany and Spain at Qatar 2022, yet have never advanced beyond the Round of 16 — a ceiling they are plainly determined to break through here. Japan’s pre-tournament form was particularly sharp, winning 1-0 against Scotland, England and Iceland in three successive friendlies, while Sweden showed more variance, beating Poland 3-2 in qualifying before losing 3-1 to Norway and drawing 2-2 with Greece in tune-up matches.

The two nations have barely any competitive history — their only prior meeting was a 1-1 draw in a May 2002 friendly — which makes reading this match through past results almost impossible and amplifies how much hinges on what happens over 90 minutes tonight.

National TV

FOX, FS1, Universo

What Time is the Japan vs. Sweden Match Today?

The Sweden vs. Japan match starts at 7:00 PM ET.

Where Can I Watch Sweden vs. Japan?

You can watch Sweden vs. Japan on FOX, FS1 and Universo.

Players to Watch: Sweden vs. Japan

Sweden

Yasin Ayari — Midfielder. Ayari has been Sweden’s most potent attacking presence in Group F, scoring 2 goals across 2 appearances to lead the side in the tournament. The Brighton midfielder has been operating in a box-to-box role that puts him in dangerous positions, and his output so far makes him Sweden’s clearest threat from outside the striker position.

Alexander Isak — Forward. Isak brings 1 goal and 3 assists across 2 Group F appearances, a creative return that underlines his value as more than a finisher — he is also Sweden’s most productive facilitator in the attacking third this tournament. His ability to hold the ball and bring runners through around him gives Sweden’s offense a different dimension from Ayari’s direct running.

Viktor Gyökeres — Forward. Gyökeres has 1 goal and 1 assist in 2 appearances in Group F, and his physical presence up top gives Sweden a reliable focal point when they need to relieve pressure and build again. With Ayari and Isak both producing around him, Gyökeres has the supporting cast to be decisive in a match Sweden cannot afford to lose.

Japan

Ayase Ueda — Forward. Ueda leads Japan with 2 goals in 2 Group F matches, making him one of the group’s top scorers at this point in the tournament. Clinical in tight spaces, he has been the beneficiary of Japan’s ability to create from midfield — and against a Sweden side that needs to press high, the space in behind could suit him particularly well.

Daichi Kamada — Midfielder. Also on 2 goals in 2 appearances, Kamada has matched Ueda’s scoring output despite operating from a deeper starting position, which speaks to how active Japan’s midfield has been in arriving into the box. His sense of timing and reading of the game make him difficult to track, and Sweden’s midfield will need to account for his runs or risk him punishing them the way he has already punished two other Group F opponents.

Keito Nakamura — Forward. Nakamura adds 1 goal from 2 appearances, rounding out a Japan front line that has shown multiple sources of output across the group stage. His ability to get in behind and work the channels stretches defenses horizontally and creates the kind of openings Ueda and Kamada have been converting.

Watch 2026 FIFA World Cup™ Soccer Live on DIRECTV

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