When does the 2026 FIFA World Cup start?

The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off on June 11, 2026, with the opening match at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

Where is the 2026 World Cup Final?

The Final will be held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey (New York metro area) on July 19, 2026.

How many teams are in the 2026 World Cup?

48 teams will compete in the 2026 World Cup — the first time the tournament has been expanded from 32 to 48 teams.

How many host cities are there?

16 host cities across 3 countries: 11 in the USA, 3 in Mexico, and 2 in Canada.

How many matches will be played?

104 matches will be played over 39 days, from June 11 to July 19, 2026.

R. Hirakawa

Japan

Japan25 yrs

Age

176 cm

Height

72 kg

Weight

Midfield

Typical role

Japan

Nationality

Career clubs

Tokyo Verdy

2025

37 apps

Jubilo Iwata

2024–2025

26 apps

Roasso Kumamoto

2022–2024

59 apps⚽ 11

FC Tokyo

2022

4 apps

Matsumoto Yamaga

2021

20 apps

Career transfers

Jubilo Iwata Tokyo Verdy
20 Jan 2025Transfer
Roasso Kumamoto Jubilo Iwata
22 Jan 2024
FC Tokyo Roasso Kumamoto
10 Aug 2022Free transfer
Matsumoto Yamaga FC Tokyo
1 Jan 2022
FC Tokyo Matsumoto Yamaga
1 Feb 2021Loan
Kagoshima United FC Tokyo
1 Jan 2020
FC Tokyo Kagoshima United
17 Jul 2019Loan

Honours

J-League Cup

Winner

Japan · 1× (2020/2021)

Injury record

Yellow Cards

May 2025

Competitions

Recent form

vs Gamba Osaka

J1 League · 2–4

57'6.2

vs Yokohama F. Marinos

J1 League · 0–6

80'6.6

@ Mito Hollyhock

J1 League · 1–0

90'6.6

@ Machida Zelvia

J1 League · 0–0

@ FC Tokyo

J1 League · 1–2

90'6.6

Season by season

Season	Team	Apps	Goals	Assists	Rating
2025	Tokyo Verdy	37	0	0	6.87
2024	Jubilo Iwata	26	0	1	6.74
2023	Roasso Kumamoto	46	9	0	—
2022	Roasso Kumamoto	17	2	0	—
2021	Matsumoto Yamaga	20	0	0	—

Discipline

Yellow cards

Red cards

Fouls

← All World Cup stars