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The World Cup Round of 32 delivers one of its most intriguing encounters on Monday evening as Brazil take on Japan at Houston Stadium, with a coveted place in the Round of 16 — and a potential clash with either the Netherlands or Morocco — on the line.

Brazil, who topped Group C, arrive in superb form after back-to-back 3–0 triumphs following their opening draw. Japan, meanwhile, finished as Group F runners-up and remain unbeaten after three matches. Notably, they are the only side to have defeated Brazil in recent times — securing a 3–2 friendly win in Tokyo last October. Japan have never won a knockout game at a men’s World Cup, and for Hajime Moriyasu’s men, this represents their best chance yet to make history.

Date: Monday, 29 June 2026

Kick-off: 18:00 BST

Venue: Houston Stadium

Referee: Maurizio Mariani (Italy)

Raphinha continues to be sidelined with the hamstring injury sustained against Haiti, which also kept him out of the win over Scotland. The Barcelona winger hasn’t resumed full training and remains unavailable. Carlo Ancelotti is expected to retain the same starting XI from the Scotland fixture, with Bournemouth teenager Rayan maintaining his position on the right wing.

Vinicius Junior, who found the net in all three group stage matches, will spearhead the attack alongside Lucas Paquetá and Matheus Cunha.

Neymar is fit and ready for selection after returning from a calf injury as a substitute against Scotland — marking his first appearance for Brazil in nearly 1,000 days — and is likely to reprise that role from the bench.

Casemiro and Danilo both enter the fixture with yellow cards and will need to remain disciplined to ensure their availability for a potential Round of 16 tie.

Ko Itakura was substituted in the 39th minute during Japan’s 1–1 draw with Sweden due to discomfort, but the Ajax centre-back is not believed to have a serious injury and is expected to captain the side. However, Shogo Taniguchi is on standby should Moriyasu decide to exercise caution.

Takefusa Kubo remains unavailable, still undergoing recovery from the knee injury suffered against the Netherlands on matchday one. Kaishu Sano is likely to reclaim his place in midfield, replacing Yukinari Sugawara.

Daizen Maeda retains his spot in the lineup after scoring against Sweden. Moriyasu has remained loyal to the 3-4-2-1 formation since 2024 and is unlikely to deviate from it now.

Ancelotti’s men began their campaign with a 1–1 draw against Morocco before finding consistent rhythm. Two consecutive 3–0 wins over Haiti and Scotland saw them progress as Group C leaders with significant momentum.

Vinicius Junior scored in all three group fixtures, generating an impressive 3.06 xG against Scotland — the highest individual expected goals tally recorded in a single World Cup match in tournament history.

Brazil are among just five teams to have scored in every group-stage game, and on each of the four previous occasions a Brazilian player achieved this milestone, the Seleção went on to lift the trophy.

Japan remain unbeaten in their last ten matches across all competitions, coming into the tournament on a six-game winning streak that included 1–0 victories over Scotland and England in March.

Their group-stage campaign showcased both tactical discipline and attacking sharpness: a commanding 4–0 win over Tunisia was followed by the 1–1 draw with Sweden, where goalkeeper Zion Suzuki delivered several crucial saves.

The 2–2 draw with the Netherlands on matchday one further demonstrated their ability to hold their own against elite opposition. Japan have never progressed beyond the last 32 at a men’s World Cup. However, this 2026 squad, which has beaten Brazil and England and drawn with the Netherlands, is arguably the strongest in the nation’s history.

Brazil predicted XI (4-3-3): Alisson; Danilo, Marquinhos, Gabriel, Santos; Guimarães, Casemiro, Paquetá; Rayan, Cunha, Vinicius Jr

Japan predicted XI (3-4-2-1): Suzuki; Ito, Tomiyasu, Itakura; Doan, Sano, Tanaka, Nakamura; Kamada, Maeda; Ueda

The match will be broadcast live in the United Kingdom on ITV1 and will also be available for streaming on ITVX.