After a thrilling group stage, the 2026 World Cup is finally on to the first-ever Round of 32. South Africa became the first team to be eliminated at this stage in the competition yesterday afternoon with a defeat against Canada, and today at 1 p.m. ET, one of Brazil or Japan will join Bafana Bafana on the sidelines. The winner will go on to face either Norway or the Ivory Coast in the Round of 16.
Throughout the World Cup, DraftKings Network will be highlighting several of the tournament’s marquee matchups, breaking down every goal and major moment. Here’s how the showdown between the Seleçao and the Samurai Blue played out:
Brazil vs. Japan odds
Brazil is a -210 favorite to triumph in regular time (-280 to advance to the Round of 16) at DraftKings Sportsbook, and Japan is +310 (+215 to advance). There are +550 odds that the teams will require extra time.
Tracking Brazil vs. Japan
Follow along as DKNetwork tracks the Round of 32 match between Brazil and Japan! This section will be updated.
FT: IT WAS A COMMENDABLE EFFORT BY JAPAN, BUT THAT WILL BE IT. THE SELEÇAO WILL NOW WAIT TO SEE IF THEY’LL FACE THE IVORY COAST OR NORWAY! AUSTRALIA IS NOW THE ONLY AFC TEAM REMAINING. WHAT AN INCREDIBLE, DRAMATIC GAME, ENDING IN HEARTBREAK FOR THE SAMURAI BLUE.
90’+6: IN THE FINAL MINUTE OF THE GAME, GABRIEL MARTINELLI HAS WON IT FOR BRAZIL! IT’S ALL OVER! JAPAN LEFT HIM COMPLETELY UNMARKED RIGHT OUTSIDE THE SIX-YARD BOX, AND SUZUKI’S DEFLECTION WASN’T ENOUGH TO KEEP THE BALL OUT! BRAZIL WILL MOVE ON TO THE ROUND OF 16!
90’+2: In the second minute of stoppage time, Fabinho has come on for the Seleçao to replace Casemiro, who looks injured.
89′: That could’ve been bad there for Japan, as Vinicius got a look from the top of the box, but the Samurai Blue did a good job to deflect his shot out of play. This match looks destined for extra time, but Vini is certainly capable of winning it with a singular moment of brilliance. Japan is double-marking him every time he touches the ball now.
84′: Junnosuke Suzuki has now picked up a yellow card, and Brazil has a free kick from a very dangerous position just outside the 18-yard box!
78′: Hajime Moriyasu has now made two more substitutions, as Junya Ito and Daichi Kamada have both come off. Shuto Machino and Ao Tanaka are now on the pitch for the Samurai Blue, who are still in this match but are very much on the back foot!
74′: Rayan had a decent chance to score from a header there at the far post, but his header was deflected beyond the goal line. Still, Brazil’s two young wingers, Endrick and Rayan, are starting to play their way into this match, which is a promising sign both for the rest of this match and moving forward.
72′: The match is now back underway after the hydration break.
68′: The referee has now blown for the hydration break after Endrick fell in the box! He was hoping he’d be able to earn a penalty, but the referee was not convinced by his fall. Will there be a winner in the last 20 minutes of action, plus stoppage time, or will this one require an additional period? Brazil has dominated statistically, amassing 14 shots to Japan’s five, but Zion Suzuki has kept the Samurai Blue in it with five clutch saves, perhaps none bigger than his stop on Vini in the 58th minute.
66′: Both managers are now making some substitutions. Gabriel Martinelli has come on for Matheus Cunha. Junnosuke Suzuki and Yukinari Sugawara have also entered the match in place of Ritsu Doan and Keito Nakamura.
64′: Eredivisie Golden Boot winner Ayase Ueda rocketed a shot from the left corner of the 18-yard-box, but Alisson managed to corral it by the near post. That’s the first save of the game for the Liverpool keeper.
58′: Vinicius nearly made it two! The Real Madrid superstar made an unbelievable solo run to the edge of the six-yard box, and Suzuki just about did enough to knock it off the inside of the left post! The tempo of this game has definitely heated up, and all the momentum has shifted in the Seleçao’s favor!
56′: AND, FINALLY, ALL THE BRAZILIAN PRESSURE ON SUZUKI PAYS OFF! THAT’S A HEADED GOAL FOR CASEMIRO FROM THE FAR POST AFTER AN EXCELLENT CROSS BY GABRIEL MAGALHÃES! THIS. GAME. IS. ON. CAN JAPAN FIND AN ANSWER?
54′: HOW IN THE WORLD DID THAT STAY OUT!?! THE BALL BOUNCED AROUND RIGHT IN FRONT OF SUZUKI AFTER CASEMIRO HAD AN INCREDIBLE CHANCE WITH A DIVING HEADER FROM POINT-BLANK RANGE, BUT TOMIYASU JUST HAPPENED TO BE RIGHT THERE FOR THE BLOCK! This should be a tied match!
52′: THE BEST CHANCE OF THE MATCH FOR BRAZIL! Danilo had a look from a header, but it wasn’t far enough away from Zion Suzuki, and he managed to get to it with both hands near the left side of the goal!
48′: That’s the fourth card already this game, as Danilo’s hand found Daizen Maeda’s neck on a fast break, and he earned a yellow card. The frustration is palpable for the Seleçao!
46′: We’re back, and so is Endrick! The 19-year-old has replaced Lucas Paquetá and will make his third appearance of this World Cup! Can he be the answer, or will this be a historic afternoon for Japan?
HT: It’s now halftime, and Japan has the lead! So far, Hajime Moriyasu’s side has managed four shots (one on target) worth 0.21 xG, and Brazil has managed to get two of its eight shots on target for 0.31 xG. Carlo Ancelotti will need to make some adjustments at halftime, and the Seleçao will need to penetrate the box more! What do the last 45 minutes have in store? Right now, the Samurai Blue are +110 to hold on for the win in regular time and -145 to advance past the first knockout stage for the first time ever!
45′: The third player of the match has now been booked, as Daichi Kamada brought down Casemiro to end a counter-attack and earned himself a yellow. Will we see any players sent off in the second half?
42′: In the first knockout game in 2022, Brazil already had a 4-0 lead over South Korea at this point, so this performance must be quite the shock to the country’s fans! We’re nearing halftime, and the Seleçao have really not had any dangerous chances.
35′: That’s another great play by Kaishu Sano, as Vinicius Júnior had a dangerous look inside the box that was almost immediately blocked by Sano! He’s not exactly known as a defender, but if he can produce plays like that, the Samurai Blue could be well on their way to one of the most famous upsets in World Cup history! The Seleçao have not been eliminated before the quarterfinals in any of the last eight World Cups.
33′: The first attempt at a response for the Seleçao didn’t result in anything, as Lucas Paquetá’s free kick didn’t result in anything. The last time Brazil went behind, it equalized just 11 minutes after Morocco’s Ismael Saibari had put the North Africans ahead. How long will Carlo Ancelotti’s men have to wait this time?
29′: GOAL FOR JAPAN! GOAL FOR KAISHU SANO! THE MAINZ STRIKER HAS FOUND THE BACK OF THE NET WITH A TREMENDOUS SOLO RUN AFTER A TURNOVER IN THE MIDFIELD, FINISHING PAST ALISSON INTO THE BOTTOM LEFT CORNER OF THE NET! HIS FIRST INTERNATIONAL GOAL COULDN’T HAVE POSSIBLY COME AT A BETTER TIME! 1-0 TO JAPAN!
27′: The hydration break is now over, and Japan has won a corner! The Samurai Blue have done a pretty good job operating on the counter.
23′: A pretty controversial call there, as Matheus Cunha went down near the edge of the box, but Junya Ito wasn’t whistled for what seemed like a clear foul that would’ve given the Seleçao a free kick in a relatively dangerous position! It’s still level entering the hydration break, with just four shots and 0.15 expected goals and one shot (0.09 xG) for Japan.
17′: The danger is now over, as Daichi Kamada’s shot was blocked by the Seleçao’s five-wide wall for a corner, and some sloppy passing after the corner was recycled led to a goal kick for Brazil. That’s pretty good defending by the Seleçao, but it will equally go down as a missed opportunity from Japan.
15′: Scrappy, scrappy game, as Casemiro has now picked up a yellow card, and the Samurai Blue have earned a free kick right at the edge of the box! It’ll be Japan’s best chance of the game so far.
14′: That’s the first shot on target of the match! Matheus Cunha got a left-footed look from near the top of the box, but it was a fairly slow roller, and Zion Suzuki didn’t have much of a challenge!
12′: There has now been a booking, as Japan’s Kaishu Sano brought down Vinicius Júnior! He’s earned a yellow card, and he’ll now have to play 78 minutes in jeopardy.
7′: We’ve seen multiple chances for Brazil early, as Carlo Ancelotti’s side is pressing Japan relentlessly. No breakthrough yet, but it could be coming shortly.
2′: What an opportunity already for the Seleçao! Bruno Guimarães managed to take advantage of a high turnover, and only a clever block stopped him from getting Brazil on the scoreboard within the first two minutes!
1′: We have action in Houston! There are no second chances from here on out for the Seleçao and the Samurai Blue from here on out! If they lose, they are done. IT’S WORLD CUP KNOCKOUT TIME! Brazil is a five-time winner, and Japan has never won a knockout game.
Additional World Cup Coverage
For additional World Cup coverage from the DraftKings Network, check out the World Cup landing page here:
- How to Watch Today’s 2026 World Cup Games: TV, Streaming Info and Odds for Monday, June 29
- Opening odds for Brazil vs. Japan in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32
- Brazil vs. Japan prediction, pick for Monday 6/29/26
NOTE: Prop bet rulings are subject to official scoring and could change after the match.