Japan vs France Preview & Prediction | 2026 Men’s FIH Hockey World Cup | 13th Place Match
by Alex Sarwar ·
Updated
Click here for today’s sports betting tips from our expert analysts!
Both Japan and France are coming off the back of victories in their most recent games, setting things up nicely for this final battle.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – not televised / USA – USA’s matches will be televised live on CBS
How to watch online: UK – British home nation matches can be streamed live for free on Channel 4 Sport YouTube, while all matches can be streamed live on FIH Watch.Hockey / USA – USA’s matches can be streamed live on CBS digital platforms, while all matches can be streamed live on FIH Watch.Hockey
Japan vs France prediction
Japan have proven to be one of the more entertaining watches at this World Cup and are coming off the back of two thrillers. Having gone down 4-3 to Pakistan, Yoshihiro Anai’s side bounced back with a last-gasp 3-2 victory against Wales. They now face France for the right to finish in 13th place with Les Bleus also victorious last time out.
Whilst there are question marks over the French backline, they are also more than capable of scoring multiple goals and the expectation is that we should see another high-scoring encounter with the stakes not being very high. Therefore, consider backing over 4.5 goals, regardless of the final outcome.
Japan vs France tip: Over 4.5 total goals
