Japan qualifies first for World Cup 2026, fans joke they’ve been training at “Blue Lock”

The FIFA World Cup qualifiers are in full swing, and Japan officially became the first nation to qualify for the event to be held in North America. The Blue Samurais beat Bahrain 2-0 in the Asian qualifiers and, in the process, beat heavyweights such as Brazil, Spain, Germany, and reigning world champions Argentina to the punch. They have cashed in their ticket to the main event and will now be joining co-hosts USA, Canada, and Mexico in the showpiece event.

Fans react hilariously as Japan qualifies for the 2026 FIFA World Cup

The Blue Samurai are now confirmed participants of the soccer extravaganza. Bear in mind, this wasn't just dumb luck or a flash in the pan either. Boasting a star-studded team, the Japanese national team has developed a penchant for bloodying the noses of the big dogs in the marquee events and has developed a massive fan following as a result.

Japan's qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup has sparked a wave of hilarity and exuberance among fans, as memes about Japan’s qualification dominated timelines worldwide. Meanwhile, the party kicked into high gear on the streets of Japan, with fans dressing up as fictional characters to mark the momentous occasion. There was utter euphoria amongst the fans, which they shared on social media:

"Team studied Blue Lock", joked one fan (via X / @gvofeyii)

World Cup 2022 started around November, right around the time Blue Lock Season 1 finished airing. This was also the time when Japan actually started to become good at soccer and beat Germany against all odds. Coincidence? We think not. We can't wait to see what Jinpachi Ego has in store for us this time!

The days when you could have 'little-brothered' Japan are now over, and they now sit at the grown-ups' table. It has gotten to the point where them winning the whole shebang wouldn't be something that you'd place your bets against, which is hilarious if we think about it. One fan (@wakkakaa1255) shared the same sentiment and came up with an ominous prediction:

"Imagine they win this. it's gonna be peak if they do"

Watching Japan's growth over the past couple of years has been astonishing, to say the least. We can't help but smile at them; it is like watching your younger brother beat you at FIFA. You may be mad on the outside but delighted for your brother nonetheless.

Of course, who can forget the last time when the Blue Samurai found their inner ego and ran roughshod through the German backline, changing the fabric of reality while they did so? The internet does not forget, and they are anticipating something along similar lines in this iteration of the World Cup as well:

"They literally knocked Germany out in the group stage last WC, how can someone's memory actually be this s***?", thundered one fan (via X @AD3N)

"Congratulations!! hope we'll get Japan vs Germany again", quipped another fan (via X / @rhedak1)

Meanwhile, the German fans were too busy rebuilding their national team to comment. We are trembling with excitement at the prospect of the algorithm fixing up this rematch for us! So here's hoping that the algorithm does its thing again and doesn't disappoint us.

Of course, this being Japan, anime references are never too far away. One fan hilariously mistook Take Kubo the soccer player for Tite Kubo the manga artist, and it had the whole internet community in splits:

"Tell Kubo to get off the pitch and draw bleach hell arc", joked the fan (via X / @Tekninjaaa)

As social media was rife with memes and people celebrating the win, fans of other nationalities seemed resigned to their fate:

"Ireland likely will not be in it, so f*** it, I’ll root for Japan to replicate its last World Cup performance and go even further", said one despondent fan (via X / @wiretap_chan)

Ireland may or may not qualify for the FIFA World Cup, but at least there's a silver lining to this: neutral fans finding their voice in the form of the Japanese national soccer team! They will be cheering on vociferously from the stands when the marquee event rolls into town in 2026.

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The news of Japan qualifying for the World Cup took the internet by storm as streets in Japan were overrun with your Gokus, your Pikachus, Raichus, and even Godzillas! Considering the extreme euphoria, it's a little surprising that Mount Fuji didn't erupt with confetti in elation itself! Japan is now expected to give a good account of themselves in the upcoming World Cup, where a strong showing is expected of them.