If Japan loses to Sweden, Japan would most likely finish third in the group , and whether they still advance would depend on the results elsewhere. A loss does not automatically eliminate Japan; with enough points and a favorable goal-difference tiebreak, they could still go through as one of the best third-place teams.

What that means

  • Sweden would move ahead of Japan in the group standings.
  • Japan’s fate would then hinge on the other match in the group and on the third-place rankings across the tournament.
  • In the scenarios reported, Japan still had a strong chance to advance even with a loss.

Simple version

If Japan loses, they’re not necessarily out; they’d just be waiting on other results to see whether they qualify for the next round.