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Tunisia vs Japan World Cup kick-off, date, TV channel and venue
Date Sunday, June 21
Kick-off 5am
Venue Monterrey Stadium, Monterrey, Mexico
Stage of Competition Group F
TV channel BBC One
Tunisia sacked manager Sabri Lamouchi after a 5-1 defeat to Sweden in their Group F opener and while the experienced Herve Renard has been drafted in for at least their two remaining group games, he has his work cut out lifting his charges for their game against Japan in Monterrey.
Japan showed four years ago with wins over Germany and Spain that they can be a match for anyone and Hajime Moriyasu’s side have a good chance of building upon Sunday’s encouraging 2-2 draw with the Netherlands.
Tunisia vs Japan betting tips & predictions
Best bet
Japan to win & over 2.5 goals
2pts 13-8 BoyleSports
Japan showed enough in its draw against the Netherlands that they can go deep in the tournament and that 2-2 against the Dutch looks a solid foundation.
Tunisia have a new head coach in the dugout but it is difficult to see what Herve Renard can change in a few days having taken charge of a squad outclassed by Belgium and Sweden in their last two games.
Best player bet
Daizen Maeda anytime goalscorer
23-10 Hills
Tunisia vs Japan World Cup match preview
Herve Renard masterminded Saudi Arabia’s victory over Argentina in Doha four years ago, but even the experienced Frenchman has his work cut out as Tunisia look to get back on track in Group F.
A group which includes the Netherlands, Japan and Sweden was always going to be tough for the north Africans, who dominated a straightforward qualifying group, but a 5-1 defeat to the Swedes showed just how much ground they have to make up.
Tunisia, who did not concede in ten qualifiers, were regularly exposed by Graham Potter’s side and the warning signs were there when they lost 5-0 to Belgium in their final friendly prior to the World Cup on June 6.
It was all too much for the officials as former Nottingham Forest manager Sabri Lamouchi was shown the door, but it seems a huge task for Renard to turn around Tunisia in the next two matches.
Japan upset the odds by beating Spain and Germany to top their group in the Qatar World Cup four years ago, and they have every right to feel confident having lost just one of their 16 Asian qualifiers, conceding just three goals.
Their solid defence looks like one Tunisia could struggle to breach, but they have the potential to score a few against Renard’s new rearguard who will be low on confidence following their heavy 5-1 loss in round one.
Daichi Kamada’s late equaliser gave them a deserved point against the Dutch and they should take great encouragement from that result and they can demonstrate their clinical side against a team who, despite a change at the top, still look out of their depth.
Maeda could come out of his shell
One player who can help Japan do that is Celtic striker Daizen Maeda.
He will have been disappointed with the contribution he made in the game against the Dutch but this looks a good chance for him to bounce back.
Maeda came into the tournament having scored seven goals in his final five Scottish Premiership appearances, including a brace in a 3-1 win over Rangers and the goal that effectively sealed the title against Hearts on the final day.
All those highs should help him bounce back against a team who have shown they cannot cope against top-level opposition and with more chances likely to fall his way in Monterrey, he looks a decent price to take one of them.
Tunisia vs Japan World Cup Bet Builder tips
Ali Abdi to be shown a card
The Tunisia full-back conceded three fouls on their miserable night against the Swedes and he could be vulnerable to a booking when facing a speedy Japanese attack.
Keito Nakamura to have two or more shots
The Japan midfielder had three efforts on goal against the Netherlands, including his goal, and he can emulate that performance in Monterrey.
Under 4.5 Tunisia corners
Japan conceded a total of just four corners in their final five games of Asian qualifying and Tunisia look unlikely to match the five the Netherlands mustered in Dallas on Sunday.
Pays out at 6-1 with Paddy Power
Key stats for Tunisia vs Japan
♦ Japan have kept 12 clean sheets in their last 16 matches
♦ Hajime Moriyasu’s team conceded only three goals in their qualifying campaign
♦ Tunisia have conceded ten times in their last two games
♦ Japan have scored at least twice in ten of their last 15 outings
♦ Both teams have scored in just one of Tunisia’s last 15 games
Tunisia vs Japan betting odds
Sign up with bet365 to bet on this match. Here are the latest odds:
| Market | Odds |
|---|---|
| Tunisia | 11-2 |
| Japan | 8-15 |
| Draw | 3-1 |
Odds correct at time of publishing
Want more top World Cup betting advice? Make sure you take a look at Racing Post Sport’s World Cup 2026 tips for more of the latest picks from our experts.
Tunisia vs Japan team news and predicted line-ups
Tunisia
New manager Herve Renard seems bound to make changes with forward Firas Chaouat and midfielder Elias Achouri set to start after being used as substitutes in the defeat to Sweden.
Tunisia (5-3-2): Chamakh; Valery, Rekik, Talbi, Bronn, Abdi; Skhiri, Achouri, Mejbri; Chaouat, Saad.
Rest of the squad: A Dahmen, Ben Hessen, Ben Slimane, Arous, Ben Hmida, Chikhaoui, Ayari, Tounekti, Neffati, Gharbi, Elloumi, Mastouri, Mahmoud.
Japan
Forward Takefusa Kubo suffered a knee issue against the Netherlands and is ruled out.
Japan (3-4-1-2): Z Suzuki; Watanabe, Taniguchi, H Ito; Sugawara, Kamada, Sano, Nakamura; Doan; Ueda, Maeda.
Rest of the squad: Osako, Hayakawa, Tanaka, Y Suzuki, Seko, Shiogai, Goto, J Ito, Machino, Sugawara, Nagatomo, Ogawa, Hakura, Tomiyasu.
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FAQs
When is Tunisia vs Japan at the Fifa World Cup 2026?
Tunisia vs Japan takes place on Sunday, June 21, and kicks off at 5am BST.
Where is Tunisia vs Japan being played?
The venue for the game is Monterrey Stadium in Monterrey, Mexico.
What TV channel is Tunisia vs Japan on?
BBC One is showing the game live in the UK.
Where can I find the best World Cup betting offers?
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