Japan capped off a perfect AFC Women’s Asian Cup campaign, remaining unbeaten and defeating Australia 1-0 in the final to be crowned champion on Saturday.
Sam Kerr, the only remaining member of Australia’s 2010 Asian Cup-winning side, had returned from an ACL injury for the tournament but could not find the net in the decider and missed the chance to add another Asian Cup title to her collection.
Riko Ueki finished as Japan’s top scorer in the tournament. Japan had also already qualified for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil after reaching the semifinals.
Published on Mar 21, 2026
