Japan, Tunisia face off in historic 1000th match of FIFA World Cup

The FIFA World Cup is set to reach a historic milestone as Japan and Tunisia face off in the tournament’s 1000th match, adding extra significance to a crucial Group F encounter in Monterrey, Mexico.

The landmark fixture kicked off at 10:00am (Bangladesh time) at Monterrey Stadium, becoming the 1000th match played in World Cup history since the tournament’s inception. Beyond its historical importance, the match also carries major implications for both teams’ hopes of reaching the knockout stage.

Japan enter the contest with renewed confidence after producing a spirited comeback to earn a 2-2 draw against the Netherlands in their opening match. The Asian side demonstrated resilience and attacking quality against one of Europe’s traditional powerhouses, leaving them well-positioned in the group standings.

Tunisia, however, find themselves under pressure after suffering a heavy 5-1 defeat to Sweden in their World Cup opener. Another setback would significantly damage their chances of advancing, making the clash against Japan a must-win encounter for the North African side.

With both teams targeting a place in the last 32, the stakes are high despite the early stage of the tournament. A victory for Japan would strengthen their path toward qualification, while Tunisia are desperate to revive their campaign and stay in contention.

Both sides have lined up in a 3-4-2-1 formation for the historic match.

Japan's starting XI features goalkeeper Zion Suzuki alongside Takehiro Tomiyasu, Ko Itakura, Hiroki Ito, Ritsu Doan, Kaishu Sano, Daichi Kamada, Keito Nakamura, Junya Ito and Ao Tanaka.

Tunisia have started with Aymen Dahmen in goal, supported by Karim Rekik, Montassar Talbi, Yassine Meriah, Ali Abdi, Ellyes Skhiri, Hannibal Mejbri, Saad Bguir, Anis Ben Slimane and Elias Tounakti.