Japan will resume qualifying for the 2022 World Cup in March, roughly a year after Asian qualifiers were postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Japan Football Association said Wednesday.
The Samurai Blue are slated to face Group F opponents Myanmar at Yokohama's Nissan Stadium on March 25 before traveling to Mongolia for a match on March 30 as the second round of the Asian Football Confederation's qualifying resumes.
The JFA announced Japan will host Tajikistan on June 7 and Kyrgyzstan on June 15 with both games at Osaka Prefecture's Panasonic Stadium.
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In response to the coronavirus outbreak, FIFA reached an agreement with the AFC in March to push back the qualifiers. They were set to resume during the October and November international windows, but that time frame was later abandoned.
The JFA revealed that friendlies are also planned in March, June and July to provide the under-24 team additional preparation in the run-up to the postponed Tokyo Olympics, set to begin on July 23. Senior national team manager Hajime Moriyasu also oversees the men's Olympic squad.
Japan's final match before the Olympics is scheduled for July 17 at Kobe's Noevir Stadium.
Nadeshiko Japan, the national women's team, will gear up for the Olympics by assembling monthly for training camps and friendlies and will tour the United States in February.
