Japan Beat Australia to Win Women’s Asian Cup Again
Japan
March 2026
Japan beat Australia 1-0 in Sydney to win the Women’s Asian Cup for the third time in the last four editions. Maika Hamano scored the only goal, and Japan finished the tournament with a record that confirmed their control from start to finish. Reuters reported that Hamano struck in the 17th minute in front of a record crowd of more than 74,000 at Stadium Australia. Japan held firm after that and completed a dominant campaign, while Australia fell short at home despite strong support and late pressure.