Australia–Japan football rivalry

The Australia–Japan football rivalry is a sports rivalry that exists between the national association football teams of each country, regarded as one of Asia's biggest football rivalries. The rivalry is a relatively recent one, born from several highly competitive matches between the two teams since Australia joined the Asian Football Confederation in 2006. The two teams have played each other in several significant matches, including a World Cup group stage match, the 2011 Asian Cup final and have been drawn in the same group in five consecutive World Cup qualification campaigns.

Origins

The first match between the two teams was played at the 1956 Olympics, ending in a 2–0 win for the Australians. Another dozen matches were played between Australia and Japan until a semi-final match at the 2001 Confederations Cup which ended in a 1–0 for Japan, but the match-up only emerged as a rivalry after 2006, when Australia joined the AFC, especially the FIFA World Cup qualification games. The first match between the two sides after this was during the 2006 FIFA World Cup, a group stage game where Australia was still technically competing as Oceania representatives. With just six minutes left, Japan led by a single goal, only for Australia to score thrice in succession to secure their first-ever win in a World Cup finals match in what is regarded as one of the greatest moments in Australian sporting history.

Several fierce qualifying matches over the next few years enhanced the rivalry, and Japan got revenge for their World Cup defeat by knocking the Socceroos out of the 2007 AFC Asian Cup at the quarter-finals on penalties. In 2011, Japan again beat the Socceroos in an Asian Cup, this time in the final with a solitary goal in extra time sealing the title.

Men's matches No. Date Competition Home team Score Away team Venue1 27 November 19561956 Olympic Games 2–0 Olympic Park, Melbourne2 30 March 1968International friendly 2–2 Sydney Showground, Sydney3 31 March 1968 3–1 Olympic Park, Melbourne4 4 April 1968 1–3 Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide5 10 October 19691970 World Cup qualification 1–3 Dongdaemun Stadium, Seoul6 16 October 1969 1–1 Dongdaemun Stadium, Seoul7 22 May 1994Kirin Cup 1–1 Big Arch Stadium, Hiroshima8 29 September 1994International Friendly 0–0 National Stadium, Tokyo9 15 February 1995 2–1 Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney10 10 February 19961–4 Brandon Park, Wollongong11 14 February 1996 3–0 Lakeside Stadium, Melbourne12 15 February 19980–3 Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide13 8 June 20012001 Confederations Cup 1–0 International Stadium, Yokohama14 15 August 2001 2001 AFC–OFC Challenge Cup 3–0 Shizuoka Stadium, Shizuoka15 12 June 20062006 World Cup 3–1 Fritz-Walter-Stadion, Kaiserslautern16 21 July 20072007 Asian Cup 1–1 (a.e.t.)(4–3 p) Mỹ Đình National Stadium, Hanoi17 11 February 20092010 World Cup qualification 0–0 International Stadium, Yokohama18 17 June 2009 2–1 Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne19 29 January 20112011 Asian Cup 0–1 (a.e.t.) Khalifa International Stadium, Doha20 12 June 20122014 World Cup qualification 1–1 Brisbane Stadium, Brisbane21 4 June 2013 1–1 Saitama Stadium 2002, Saitama22 25 July 20132013 East Asian Cup 3–2 Hwaseong Stadium, Hwaseong23 18 November 2014International Friendly 2–1 Nagai Stadium, Osaka24 11 October 20162018 World Cup qualification 1–1 Docklands Stadium, Melbourne25 31 August 20172–0 Saitama Stadium 2002, Saitama26 12 October 20212022 World Cup qualification 2–1 Saitama Stadium 2002, Saitama27 24 March 20220–2 Stadium Australia, Sydney2815 October 20242026 World Cup qualification 1–1 Saitama Stadium 2002, Saitama295 June 20251–0 Perth Stadium, Perth

Women's matches Like their men's counterparts, the two nations also have a strong rivalry in the women's game, with both Australia and Japan among Asia's highest ranked nations. Although the first matches started in the 1980s, the two have met regularly in both friendly and competitive matches, in particular having competed often in the AFC Women's Asian Cup and having met in three Asian Cup finals.

Since Australia joined Asian Football Confederation in 2006, both Matildas and Nadeshiko became two of the only three Asian nations to finish in the top four of the FIFA Women's World Cup (Japan crowned champions in 2011 and runners-up in 2015 while Australia finish fourth in the 2023 edition).

No. Date Competition Home team Score Away team Venue122 October 1984Xi'an Women's Tournament6–2 Xi'an28 December 1984World Invitational2–2 Taipei34 December 1989Prima Cup2–2 Kanagawa45 December 1989Prima Cup1–1 Kanagawa527 September 1994Friendly2–2 Tokyo69 July 1996Friendly2–2 Fort Lauderdale731 May 2000Pacific Cup1–0 Bruce Stadium, Canberra86 April 2002Tournoi International de France1–1 Stade Lebon, Angoulême927 July 2003Three Nations Tournament0–0 Yurtec Stadium Sendai, Sendai1026 March 2005Two Match Friendly Series0–2 Sydney Olympic Stadium, Sydney1129 March 2005Two Match Friendly Series2–1 Seymour Shaw Park, Sydney1223 July 2005Friendly4–2 Tokyo1327 July 20062006 AFC Women's Asian Cup 2–0 Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide1419 November 2006Friendly1–0 Tokyo152 June 20082008 AFC Women's Asian Cup 1–3 Thống Nhất Stadium, Hồ Chí Minh City168 June 20080–3 1724 July 2008Friendly3–0 Kobe1827 May 2010 2010 AFC Women's Asian Cup 0–1 Chengdu Sports Centre. Chengdu195 September 2011 2012 Summer Olympics qualification 1–0 Shandong Provincial Stadium, Jinan2011 July 2012Friendly3–0 National Stadium (Tokyo), Tokyo2114 May 20142014 AFC Women's Asian Cup 2–2 Thống Nhất Stadium, Hồ Chí Minh City2225 May 2014 1–0 2327 June 20152015 FIFA Women's World Cup 0–1 Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton24 29 February 2016 2016 AFC Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament 3–1 Yodoko Sakura Stadium, Osaka2530 July 20172017 Tournament of Nations2–4 San Diego Stadium, San Diego2613 April 20182018 AFC Women's Asian Cup 1–1 Amman International Stadium, Amman2720 April 2018 1–0 28 2 August 2018 2018 Tournament of Nations 2–0 SeatGeek Stadium, Bridgeview2914 July 2021 Friendly 1–0 Sanga Stadium by Kyocera, Kameoka3020 February 2025SheBelieves Cup4–0 Shell Energy Stadium, Houston3121 March 20262026 AFC Women's Asian Cup1–0 Stadium Australia, Sydney

Overall Men

Team Australia29810113440–6Japan29111084034+6

Women

Team Australia3189143748–11Japan3114984837+11

Top scorers

Players in bold are still available for selection. Rank Player Goals1 Tim Cahill 52 Kunishige Kamamoto 43 Tommy McColl 36 John Aloisi 2 Ray Baartz Takashi Hirano Hidetoshi Nakata Kaoru Mitoma Takuya Takagi Yuya Osako

Australia–Japan football rivalry

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