Oiwa Tapped as Next Samurai Blue Head Coach

Tokyo, July 23 (Jiji Press)--The Japan Football Association said Thursday that Go Oiwa will serve as head coach of the Japanese men's national soccer team, nicknamed Samurai Blue, from an international friendly next March, succeeding Hajime Moriyasu.

Oiwa, 54, will concurrently serve as head coach of Japan's under-21 national team, which aims to secure a spot at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. His appointment was decided at the JFA's board meeting in Tokyo on Thursday.

Moriyasu, 57, who led Samurai Blue in this year's FIFA World Cup, will stay on until the next Asian Cup, to be held in January-February 2027.

Oiwa is expected to prepare for the 2030 World Cup by developing young players while maintaining the strategy adopted by Moriyasu.

JFA President Tsuneyasu Miyamoto and Moriyasu are set to hold a press conference Friday.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]