Soccer: JFA wants law to ensure national team games broadcast free-to-air

Japan Football Association President Kozo Tashima said Monday he will ask the government to prepare domestic legislation that would ensure Japan national team matches are shown on free-to-air networks.

Japan secured their seventh straight World Cup finals berth on Thursday by beating Australia 2-0 in Sydney in Group B of the final Asian qualifiers. The game, however, was only shown in Japan through streaming service provider DAZN.

The inflated Asian Football Confederation-administered fee for the broadcasting rights of the final round of qualifiers meant Japan’s away games were only aired live...