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WORLD CUP 2026 · Sunday, 21 June 2026 at 05:00 BST
Tunisia
0 – 4
Japan

Match preview

Japan enter as clear favourites, with the model giving them a 66% chance. Tunisia likely need an early goal or a red card to turn it.

19%
Tunisia
15%
Draw
66%
Japan
Model fair odds
Tunisia
5.26
Draw
6.67
Japan
1.52

Decimal fair odds from the model probabilities before bookmaker margin.

Tunisia
19%
Draw
15%
Japan
66%
Elo rating: 1659 vs 1882 (-223)
Recent form: LLLLL vs LDWDW
Host advantage: Neutral venue
Model verdict: 19% / 15% / 66%
Most likely scores
Japan 1–0 (15%)
Japan 2–0 (15%)
Japan 3–0 (10%)
Draw 1–1 (9%)
Why Japan are favourites (66%)
  • Japan carry the higher Elo rating (223 points)
  • Neutral venue — no home advantage applied
  • Tunisia winless in their last five (5L)
  • Japan mixed recent form (2W 2D 1L)
  • Head-to-head treated as neutral — too few recent meetings to weigh (10% of the blend)

These factors combine to produce the 19% / 15% / 66% verdict above.

Expected match pattern

Japan are expected to control possession and territory, while Tunisia will likely rely on defensive organisation and counter-attacks — a setup their recent results suggest they may struggle to sustain. An early Japan goal would force Tunisia to open up, raising the chance of a multi-goal result; the longer it stays level, the more pressure shifts onto the favourites.

Expected goals: Tunisia 0.6 · Japan 2

Quick stats

MetricTunisiaJapan
Elo rating16591882
Last 5 record5L2W 2D 1L
Goals last 529
Goals conceded last 5185
Clean sheets last 502

Tunisia — last 5

  • Lv Netherlands13
  • Lv Japan04
  • L@ Sweden15
  • L@ Belgium05
  • L@ Austria01

Japan — last 5

  • L@ Brazil12
  • Dv Sweden11
  • W@ Tunisia40
  • D@ Netherlands22
  • Wv Iceland10

Head to head

21 Jun 2026
Tunisia
04
Japan
17 Oct 2023
Japan
20
Tunisia
14 Jun 2022
Japan
03
Tunisia

Confirmed lineups

Tunisia · 3-4-2-1
  1. 16A. Dahmen G
  2. 6D. Bronn D
  3. 3M. Talbi D
  4. 4O. Rekik D
  5. 20Y. Valery M
  6. 25A. Slimane M
  7. 17E. Skhiri M
  8. 2A. Abdi M
  9. 8E. Saad F
  10. 10H. Mejbri F
  11. 26S. Tounekti F
Japan · 3-4-2-1
  1. 1Z. Suzuki G
  2. 22T. Tomiyasu D
  3. 4K. Itakura D
  4. 21H. Ito D
  5. 10R. Doan M
  6. 24K. Sano M
  7. 7A. Tanaka M
  8. 13K. Nakamura M
  9. 14J. Ito F
  10. 15D. Kamada F
  11. 18A. Ueda F

Key matchups

E. Saad vs K. Itakura

Tunisia's focal point in attack against the heart of Japan's defence.

A. Slimane vs K. Sano

The central-midfield battle most likely to decide who controls possession and territory.

J. Ito vs M. Talbi

Japan's main outlet — how Tunisia's central defence handles him shapes the counter-attack threat.

Predictions are model output, not betting advice. The model blends an Elo rating, last-5 form and host advantage; ratings update after every tournament result, and fair odds and likely scorelines are derived from the same blend. Bet responsibly — 18+. See PuntHub for verified tipster services.