How to Watch Japan at the 2026 World Cup
Updated 19 June 2026- Watch Samurai Blue with home commentary from anywhere
- Free home-broadcaster coverage where available
- Every VPN pick has a 30-day money-back guarantee
The best way to watch Japan at the 2026 World Cup with Japanese commentary is NHK+ (NHK ONE), which carries Samurai Blue's group-stage matches free, or DAZN Japan, which streams Japan's national-team matches free with a (free) DAZN account. Both are geo-restricted to Japan. Japanese fans abroad — the largest communities are in Brazil, the United States, and Peru — connect a VPN to a Tokyo server to reach that home coverage and native commentary, instead of the host-country English or Portuguese feeds.
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How Japan watches Samurai Blue (the free routes)
In Japan there are two genuinely free ways to watch Samurai Blue. NHK broadcasts Japan's matches free-to-air, and its streaming service NHK+ (rebranded NHK ONE) simulcasts those terrestrial games at no charge — the simplest free route. DAZN Japan holds the full digital rights to all 104 matches, and while the complete tournament needs a paid plan, Japan's national-team matches are offered free with a (free) DAZN account. Note: full coverage on ABEMA is no longer free as it was in 2022 — that now requires the paid "ABEMA de DAZN" bundle. All of these feeds are geo-restricted to Japan, so a VPN connected to a Tokyo server restores them from abroad.
Watching Japan from abroad
Japanese in Brazil
Brazil hosts the largest Japanese community in the world (the nikkei population, concentrated around São Paulo and Paraná). In Brazil the World Cup airs in Portuguese on Globo and SporTV (with Globoplay streaming) and free on CazéTV — none of which carry Japanese commentary. To watch Samurai Blue with native commentary, connect a VPN to a Tokyo server first, then open NHK+ (the simplest free route) or DAZN Japan. Brazil is roughly level with the US Eastern host venues, so kickoffs land at workable evening or late-night hours rather than the small hours Japan-side.
Japanese in the United States & Canada
The US and Canada — both 2026 co-hosts — have large Japanese communities (Hawaii, California, the Pacific Northwest and Ontario among them). Locally the tournament is in English on FOX (and Spanish on Telemundo/Peacock) in the US, with co-host coverage in Canada; none use Japanese commentary. A VPN to a Tokyo server before opening NHK+ or DAZN Japan restores the home feed. Because matches are played in North American time zones, kickoffs are convenient locally — the appeal here is purely the Japanese commentary, not the clock.
Japanese elsewhere (Europe, Australia, Asia)
Smaller but active Japanese communities across the UK, Germany, Australia and Southeast Asia face the same problem: local broadcasters carry the World Cup in their own languages, not Japanese. The fix is identical — a VPN connected to a Tokyo server, then NHK+ for the free simulcast of Japan's group games or DAZN Japan with a free account. Remember the timezone: matches kick off in North America, so in Europe and especially Australia and Asia, many Japan games fall in the early-morning hours, making NHK+ catch-up replays the practical option.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which VPN works best for watching Japan's matches?
You need a VPN with reliable Tokyo (Japan) servers. NordVPN and ExpressVPN both maintain Japan locations, and Surfshark covers Tokyo. Connect to the Japan server first, then open NHK+ (NHK ONE) or DAZN Japan. All three offer 30-day money-back guarantees that comfortably cover the rest of the tournament.
Is it really free to watch Japan with Japanese commentary?
Yes, via two routes. NHK+ (NHK ONE) simulcasts Japan's NHK-broadcast group matches free, and DAZN Japan offers Japan's national-team matches free with a (free) DAZN account. The full 104-match tournament on DAZN requires a paid plan, and complete ABEMA coverage now needs the paid "ABEMA de DAZN" bundle — so frame your free viewing around NHK+ and DAZN Japan's Japan-match coverage.
Does ABEMA stream the 2026 World Cup free like in 2022?
No. ABEMA streamed the 2022 tournament free, but that is not the case for 2026. Full World Cup coverage via ABEMA now requires the paid "ABEMA de DAZN" bundle (around 3,800 yen/month). For free viewing, use NHK+ for Japan's group games or DAZN Japan's free Japan-match coverage instead.
Why doesn't connecting a VPN to Tokyo give me DAZN Japan by itself?
A Tokyo VPN server makes the geo-restricted Japanese feeds reachable, but DAZN still requires an account. For DAZN Japan's free Japan-match coverage you also need to create a (free) DAZN account. NHK+ likewise requires registration. So the setup is two steps: VPN to a Tokyo server, then a free account on whichever service you're using.