March 21 – A stunning first half strike from Maika Hamano was enough for Japan to beat hosts Australia 1-0 to win the Women’s Asian Cup 2026 at Stadium Australia in Sydney on Saturday.
Japan have romped through the 21-day competition in Australia conceding just one goal in five matches before the final where they also kept a clean sheet. In total they scored 31 goals on their way to the title.
But Australia, in front of a record-breaking home crowd of 74,397, and in their fifth final chasing a second win, were never going to be a push over for a Japanese side packed with star quality.
It is Japan’s third title and each one has come against Australia in the final. The last two were in 2014 and 2018.
Australia had the first opportunity after only two minutes when Mary Fowler latched on to a pass from the back and found Caitlin Foord in the box. She set up Sam Kerr for a strike that was tipped away by Japanese keeper Ayaka Yamashita.
She was in action again in the 11th minute after Fowler outmuscled Toko Koga to sent Foord clear into the box but the Arsenal forward hit her effort straight at Yamashita.
With the play all Australia’s, Japan broke their dominance in the 17th minute. Hamano found herself with enough space to turn outside the box and curl her shot away from a diving Mackenzie Arnold and into the bottom corner.
The goal visibly emboldened the Japanese in front of the passionate home support but even so Australia missed the chance to equalise when Yamashita’s underhit clearance went straight to Foord, who saw her shot deflected off the covering Hana Takahashi.
Japan has the the chance to double their lead in the 43rd minute when Kyra Cooney-Cross misheaded Hamano’s cross to Hikaru Kitagawa but Arnold was down quick to save.
Foord almost levelled just before the break level when Kerr found her in the box, only for Foord to drag her shot wide.
The second half began evenly but as the game progressed Australia began to dominate.
Japan defended in numbers blocking efforts from Emily Van Egmond and Foord again.
With just a couple of minutes to play Yamashita, a bystander for much of the earlier Cup run, produced a brilliant match-winning save to stop Foord’s header.
The Australian organisers had promised a game-changing finals for Women’s football in Asia and they delivered with memorable moments, multiple fan events and a record breaking attendance of 355,528 fans over the three weeks, culminating at the sold out Stadium Australia.
Australia, Japan, China, North Korea, Philippines and South Korea all secured direct qualification into the 2027 World Cup finals in Brazil, and they will go with confidence and big tournament experience.
Sarah Walsh, Chief Operating Officer, AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026, said: “The AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026 has been a truly landmark tournament, and a powerful reflection of just how far women’s football has come across Asia and here in Australia.
“Over the past three weeks, we have seen record-breaking crowds, extraordinary football, and an incredible sense of connection in our host cities. To close the tournament with a sold-out Final at Stadium Australia is a fitting finale to what has been an inspiring and unforgettable competition,” Walsh continued.
“What has made this edition so special is not just what happened on the pitch, but the way communities came together around it. This tournament has celebrated the diversity of our region and shown the power of women’s football to bring people together.
“We set out to deliver the biggest, boldest and most successful AFC Women’s Asian Cup in history, and I’m immensely proud that we’ve achieved that.”
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