France vs Japan Preview & Prediction | 2026 Winter Olympics | Women’s Ice Hockey | Preliminary Round

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Japan gets their Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey campaign underway against a France team beaten by host nation Italy on Thursday.

Kick-off date/time:

How to watch on TV: UK – TNT Sports (some events will also be televised on the BBC / TNT Sports / Not Televised / USA – NBC, USA Network, CNBC & NBCSN

How to watch online: UK – discovery+ (some events can be streamed live on the BBC’s digital platforms / USA – Peacock & nbcolympics.com

France vs Japan prediction

Japan are a team to be taken extremely seriously and their exploits in 2022 is testament to that. In Beijing, Japan topped their group at this stage with three wins and only one loss, that being in overtime. Whilst they came up short in the knockout stage, it would be easy to take them lightly with the focus mainly being on the more notoriously high-profile rosters from the likes of Canada and USA.

France hugely disappointed in their first game, losing 4-1 to Italy after fading badly following the first period, which had ended deadlocked at 1-1. Japan are expected to be full of energy across the ice and show the fitness levels capable of seeing them play hard through all three periods. After suffering a dent in confidence after Thursday’s result, it’s worth backing France to struggle again and for Japan to take full advantage.

France vs Japan tip: Japan to win