Brazil and Japan meet in the World Cup for only the second time with a place in the last 16 on the line.
The Selecao’s only previous meeting with the Samurai Blue at the World Cup came in the group stage in 2006, when the then defending champions ran out 4-1 winners.
Now regulars in the knockout stages and with a recent win over Brazil to their name, Japan are unlikely to make things so easy for Carlo Ancelotti’s men in Houston.
101GreatGoals has the full team news as Brazil aim to keep their push for a sixth World Cup alive and Japan seek their maiden knockout win.
Brazil team news
Brazil are unchanged from the side that beat Scotland 3-0 in their final group stage game.
Brazil: Alisson; Danilo, Marquinhos, Gabriel, Santos; Guimaraes, Casemiro, Paqueta; Rayan, Vinicius Jr; Cunha.
Brazil substitutes: Weverton, Ederson, Alex Sandro, Bremer, Leo Pereira, Ibanez, Ederson Silva, Fabinho, Danilo Santos, Neymar, Endrick, Luiz Henrique, Martinelli, Thiago.
Japan team news
Japan make four changes from the starting XI from their 1-1 draw with Sweden last time out.
Takehiro Tomiyasu and Shogo Taniguchi come in for Kou Itakura and Ayumu Seko at the back.
Junya Ito replaces Yukinari Sugawara on the right side of the midfield four, while Kaishu Sano comes in for Ao Tanaka to partner Daichi Kamada in central midfield.
Japan: Suzuki; H. Ito, Tomiyasu, Taniguchi; J.Ito, Sano, Kamada, Nakamura; Doan, Maeda; Ueda
Japan substitutes: Osako, Hayakawa, Sugawara, Itakura, Nagatomo, Watanabe, Seko, Suzuki, Machino, Goto, Ogawa, Shiogai.
Where to watch Brazil v Japan: TV and online streams
The match kicks off at 6pm UK time. It is broadcast on ITV and STV and can be streamed on ITVX.
Stats for Brazil v Japan
- Japan have won only once in their fourteen games against Brazil in all competitions (D2 L11). However, this victory came in their most recent clash last October, a friendly at Tokyo Stadium (3-2).
- Brazil have been eliminated in four of their last six World Cup knockout stage matches, more than in their previous 17 combined (three). They haven’t been knocked out in the first knockout stage at a World Cup tournament since 1990, when they lost 1-0 to Argentina in the last 16.
- This will be Japan’s fifth knockout stage match at the FIFA World Cup; they were eliminated from each of their first four. Three of their four knockout opponents ended as 3rd place in that tournament (Türkiye in 2002, Belgium in 2018, Croatia in 2022).
