Brazil vs Japan Confirmed Lineups & Formations: Predictions Today World Cup Round of 32

Chris Beck

Subscribe to our newsletter

Brazil vs Japan Confirmed Lineups & Formations: Predictions Today World Cup Round of 32

Brazil vs Japan: Confirmed Lineups & Formations | World Cup 2026 Round of 32

📋

✅ CONFIRMED LINEUPS · WORLD CUP 2026 · ROUND OF 32 · OFFICIAL XIs

Monday June 29 2026 · 1:00 PM ET · NRG Stadium Houston TX · FOX

Brazil vs Japan: Confirmed Lineups & Formations

Official XIs confirmed by CBF & Japan FA · Player roles · Key match-ups · Subs bench

🇧🇷 BRA 4-3-3: Alisson · Danilo · Marquinhos · Gabriel · D.Santos · Casemiro · Guimarães · Paquetá · Rayan · Cunha · Vinicius Jr.

Must be 21+ · Gambling Problem? 1-800-GAMBLER · FanDuel Sportsbook

✅ OFFICIAL: BRA 4-3-3 · JPN 4-2-3-1 · RAYAN STARTS RW (NOT MARTINELLI) · NEYMAR BENCH · KUBO OUT · TOMIYASU STARTS RB FOR JAPAN · CASEMIRO / DANILO ON YELLOW CARD WARNING · SUBS: NEYMAR · ENDRICK · MARTINELLI · LUIZ HENRIQUE · RODRYGO

FIFA World Cup 2026 · Round of 32 · ESPN M2

🇧🇷 Brazil vs Japan 🇯🇵 · Mon Jun 29 · 1:00 PM ET · NRG Stadium Houston TX · FOX

Brazil -135 ML · -300 To Advance · O2.5 +106 · Indoor 72°F roof closed · Winner vs NED/MAR in R16 M89 Jul 4

BRA -300 Advance

JPN +230 Advance

✅

Lineups Confirmed · Official Sources

Brazil XI confirmed by CBF (Confederação Brasileira de Futebol) official Twitter/X · Japan XI confirmed by World Soccer Talk live blog sourcing Japan FA · Both lineups officially released on match day June 29 2026

🇧🇷 Brazil — Confirmed Starting XI

🇧🇷 BRAZIL · 4-3-3 · ANCELOTTI

Rayan

Cunha

Vinícius Jr

LW ⭐

Casemiro

CDM ⚠️YC

Guimarães

CM · 3 ast

Paquetá

CM/AM

Danilo

RB ⚠️YC

Marquinhos

CB (c)

Gabriel

D. Santos

Alisson

Bench

Ederson (GK) · Neymar Jr. · Endrick · Gabriel Martinelli · Luiz Henrique · Rodrygo · Fabinho · Igor Thiago

🇧🇷 Brazil Starting XI — Roles & Notes

Alisson Becker GK

Conceded just once in group stage (Morocco MD1) · Assured distribution · Real Madrid keeper

Danilo RB

⚠️ One yellow card — one more = suspended for R16 · Will face Doan/Nakamura wide

Marquinhos CB · Captain

Brazil skipper · PSG centre-back · Commanding presence · Leads the defensive line

Gabriel Magalhães CB

Arsenal centre-back · Partners Marquinhos · Comfortable with the ball · Will face Ueda

Douglas Santos LB

Left back · Supports Vinicius Jr. on the left · Will overlap when Japan sit deep

Casemiro CDM

⚠️ One yellow card — one more = suspended for R16 · Manchester United anchor · Wins 2nd balls

Bruno Guimarães CM

3 assists this tournament · Newcastle engine · Dynamic carrier · Brazil's most creative midfielder

Lucas Paquetá CM/AM

West Ham attacking midfielder · Links midfield to attack · Delivery and shot from range

⭐

Rayan Vitor RW · 19 years old

Key update: Starts RW — NOT Martinelli. The 19-year-old keeps his spot. Same XI as Scotland game — first unchanged Ancelotti lineup in over 800 days.

⭐

Matheus Cunha ST · 3 WC goals

Starting CF · 3 tournament goals · Wolves striker · FD anytime +190

🔥

Vinícius Júnior LW · 4 WC goals

Tournament's leading scorer · Scored in all 3 group games · Faces Tomiyasu at RB · FD anytime +165 · FGS +500

⚡ Key Lineup News — Brazil

Rayan starts, not Martinelli: Ancelotti is likely to field the same lineup for two games straight for the first time in over 800 days. Rayan Vitor keeps the right-wing spot confirmed by official CBF release.

Neymar on the bench: Despite being one of soccer's most iconic figures, Santos star Neymar has not been named in the Seleção's starting XI. The rationale is a strict matter of match fitness management — the 34-year-old is undergoing a highly calculated conditioning program after recovering from a grade two calf muscle injury suffered in mid-May.

Yellow card watch: Casemiro, Danilo and Fabinho are all one yellow card from suspension for the R16.

Raphinha confirmed absent: The Barcelona winger misses out due to a thigh injury.

🇯🇵 Japan — Confirmed Starting XI

🇯🇵 JAPAN · 4-2-3-1 · MORIYASU

Ueda

ST ⭐ 2 goals

Doan

LAM

Kamada

CAM ⭐ 2g

Nakamura

RAM

Maeda

Sano

J. Ito

RAM/MF

Tomiyasu

Taniguchi

H. Ito

J. Ito

Z. Suzuki

Bench

Hayakawa (GK) · Nagatomo · Watanabe · Seko · Ao Tanaka · Endo · Ogawa · Osako · Itakura

🇯🇵 Japan Starting XI — Roles & Notes

Zion Suzuki GK

Consistent in goal throughout the group stage · Will face sustained pressure from Vinicius and Cunha

Takehiro Tomiyasu RB

Key match-up: Arsenal full-back facing Vinícius Júnior. Primarily a CB used at RB here. Vinicius will target this channel from the first whistle

Shogo Taniguchi CB

Experienced centre-back · Partners Hiroki Ito · Faces Cunha centrally

Hiroki Ito CB

Bayern Munich centre-back · Japan's best defender · Organises the backline · Must handle Cunha's movement

Junya Ito LB

Reims winger used at left back · Can contribute going forward · Will face Rayan Vitor

Kaishu Sano DM

Holding midfielder · Replaces suspended Endo in the deeper role · Anchors Japan's midfield

⭐

Daichi Kamada CAM · 2 WC goals

Crystal Palace AM · 2 tournament goals · Key creative hub · FD anytime +360 · FGS +950

Ritsu Doan LAM/LW

Freiburg winger · 1 WC goal · Left attacking threat · Will face Danilo on Brazil's right

Keito Nakamura RAM/RW

1 goal, 1 assist · Named in Opta Group Stage Best XI · Right-side creative threat

Daizen Maeda LW / Support ST

Celtic forward · 1 WC goal · High-energy press · Runs in behind defensively stretched backlines

🔥

Ayase Ueda ST · 2 WC goals

Japan's main striker · 2 tournament goals · Counter-attack focal point · FD anytime +360 · Japan 26% conversion rate #1 all 48 teams

⚡ Key Lineup News — Japan

Kubo OUT — 3rd straight game: For the third consecutive game Japan will be without key playmaker Takefusa Kubo. His absence significantly reduces Japan's creativity from the right.

Endo absent: Wataru Endo (Liverpool) is not in the starting XI. Sano holds the DM position — Japan lose their midfield press anchor. This benefits Brazil's build-up play significantly.

Tomiyasu at RB vs Vinicius Jr.: The Arsenal defender starts at right back directly facing Vinicius Jr. Primarily a CB, used at RB here — the biggest positional mismatch in this game.

Same XI as group stage: Japan have decided to bet on the same lineup that took them to the Round of 32. With Takefusa Kubo unavailable, head coach Hajime Moriyasu appears to be placing his hopes on Ritsu Doan and Daizen Maeda in attack.

⚔️ Key Individual Match-Ups

🔥 The Key Battle

Vinícius Júnior (LW) vs Takehiro Tomiyasu (RB)

The most important individual duel. Vini has 4 goals from the left channel. Tomiyasu is an Arsenal man but primarily a CB — his lateral pace vs Vini's acceleration is the game's key question. Brazil's strategy will be to get Vini running at Tomiyasu early and often.

BRA edge

⚙️ Midfield Battle

Casemiro + Guimarães vs Sano + Kamada

Brazil's physical midfield pairing against Japan's more technical duo. Without Endo, Casemiro and Guimarães should dominate the second balls. Guimarães (3 assists) will look to drive forward. Kamada's late runs from deep are Japan's biggest midfield threat.

BRA edge

⚡ Counter-Attack Watch

Ueda + Doan vs Marquinhos + Gabriel

Japan's primary counter-attack route. Ueda drops to receive and Doan bursts from the left. Japan's 26% shot conversion rate means even limited chances must be respected — Brazil's CBs must stay organized on the break.

Watch out

🎯 Set Piece Risk

Japan's corners vs Brazil's set-piece defence

Nakamura is Japan's primary corner taker. Kamada and Ueda are both threats in the box. This is Japan's most realistic route to a goal given how hard open-play chances will be to create against Brazil's backline.

Key watch

📊 Side-by-Side Comparison

🇧🇷 Brazil

Stat

Japan 🇯🇵

4-3-3

Formation

4-2-3-1

Carlo Ancelotti

Manager

Hajime Moriyasu

7 goals · 1 conceded

Group GF/GA

7 goals · 4 conceded

Vini Jr. (4) · Cunha (3)

Top scorers

Ueda (2) · Kamada (2)

Guimarães (3)

Top assists

Nakamura (1)

~55%

Avg possession

~45%

12.67

Shots/game

8.67

Raphinha (thigh)

Key absentees

Kubo (inj) · Endo

FanDuel Sportsbook · Brazil vs Japan · TODAY Mon Jun 29 · 1PM ET · NRG Stadium Houston

Bet Brazil vs Japan on FanDuel

Brazil -300 advance · Vini Jr anytime +165 · O2.5 +106 · Cunha anytime +190

Bet Now

Confirmed lineups · Brazil XI (4-3-3): Alisson Becker; Danilo, Marquinhos, Gabriel Magalhães, Douglas Santos; Casemiro, Bruno Guimarães, Lucas Paquetá; Rayan Vitor, Matheus Cunha, Vinícius Júnior — Source: CBF official June 29 2026 · Japan XI (4-2-3-1): Zion Suzuki; Takehiro Tomiyasu, Shogo Taniguchi, Hiroki Ito, Junya Ito; Kaishu Sano, Daichi Kamada; Ritsu Doan, Keito Nakamura, Daizen Maeda; Ayase Ueda — Source: Japan FA via World Soccer Talk June 29 2026 · Raphinha OUT thigh · Kubo OUT injury · Wataru Endo not in XI · Neymar available as sub · Casemiro / Danilo on yellow card warning · FanDuel: Brazil -135 ML / Japan +410 / Brazil advance -300 / O2.5 +106 / Vini Jr anytime +165 / Cunha +190 / Ueda +360 / Kamada +360 · NRG Stadium indoor 72°F roof closed · R16 M89 Jul 4 5PM ET winner vs NED/MAR · Must be 21+ · Gambling Problem? 1-800-GAMBLER

New to FanDuel Sportsbook? Bet $5 and get $50 for 7 days. Get $350 in Bonus Bets guaranteed when you bet $5 every day for 7 days. See here for full terms and conditions. Learn about today's other offers at FanDuel Sportsbook Promos.

Which World Cup bets stand out to you? Check out FanDuel Sportsbook's World Cup odds to see the full menu of options.

The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Want more stories like this?