South Korea vs Japan Showdown: Kick-off Time, Live Stream Links, Key Stats & Rivalry History

Football fever in East Asia reaches a boiling point on Tuesday, 15 July 2025, when arch-rivals South Korea and Japan collide in the EAFF E-1 Football Championship men’s final at Yongin Mireu Stadium, Suwon. The match is more than a regional showpiece—it is a decisive clash for bragging rights between the continent’s most successful teams and a potential springboard toward 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying. Kick-off, broadcast and live-stream details • Kick-off: 19:30 KST / 11:30 UTC / 20:30 JST • TV: KBS2 (Korea), Fuji TV (Japan) • Streaming: TVING (Korea), DAZN Japan Global fans can follow live text and highlights via the EAFF’s digital platforms. Why this match matters The Taeguk Warriors are chasing a record-extending sixth E-1 title, while the Samurai Blue aim to end a five-year trophy drought and prove that their recent tactical overhaul under Hajime Moriyasu can deliver silverware. Japan topped Group A with back-to-back 3-0 wins, whereas Korea required a late Son Heung-min free-kick to edge China 2-1 in Group B. Head-to-head snapshot • Total meetings: 81 • Record: South Korea 42 W – Japan 16 W – 23 D • Last encounter: Japan 3-1 South Korea (Tokyo, March 2024) Team news South Korea coach Hwang Sun-hong has urged his players to “embrace the rivalry” and stay fearless after criticism of a pedestrian midfield in the group stage. Center-back Kim Min-jae is expected to return from a minor ankle sprain, partnering Jeong Seung-hyun to contain Japan’s slick passing game. Cho Gue-sung leads the line, flanked by Son and Lee Kang-in. Japan travel south with a full squad. Brighton star Kaoru Mitoma shook off a hamstring niggle and trained fully on Sunday, while Celtic forward Kyogo Furuhashi, joint-top scorer with three goals, is set to spearhead a front three also featuring Takefusa Kubo. Defensive midfielder Wataru Endo will try to neutralize Lee Jae-sung’s late runs. Probable line-ups South Korea (4-2-3-1): Kim Seung-gyu; Seol Young-woo, Kim Min-jae, Jeong Seung-hyun, Kim Jin-su; Hwang In-beom, Park Yong-woo; Lee Kang-in, Lee Jae-sung, Son Heung-min (c); Cho Gue-sung. Japan (4-3-3): Zion Suzuki; Yukinari Sugawara, Ko Itakura, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Hiroki Ito; Wataru Endo (c), Ao Tanaka, Ritsu Doan; Takefusa Kubo, Kyogo Furuhashi, Kaoru Mitoma. Tactical talking points • Korea’s high press vs Japan’s quick vertical build-up: If Kim Min-jae wins his duels, Korea can spring counters through Son’s diagonal runs. • Set-piece battle: Both sides have scored twice from corners in the tournament; height advantage tilts toward Korea with Cho (188 cm) and Jeong (190 cm). • Midfield triangles: Japan’s Endo-Tanaka-Doan trio seeks to overload central zones, forcing Korea to decide whether to drop Lee Kang-in deeper and sacrifice width. Form guide South Korea: W-W-L-W-W Japan: W-W-W-D-W What the coaches said Hwang Sun-hong: “Finals are decided by courage and small details. We want to give our fans another night to remember.” Hajime Moriyasu: “We respect Korea’s fighting spirit, but we believe in our football philosophy and will stay proactive.” Prediction and odds Bookmakers list Japan as slight favorites at 2.40 to win in 90 minutes, Korea at 2.80, and a draw at 3.10. Expect a tense, end-to-end contest; extra-time is a real possibility. SEO takeaway Search interest for “South Korea vs Japan live,” “EAFF E-1 Final 2025 stream,” and “South Korea vs Japan kick-off time” is surging. Bookmark this page for confirmed line-ups an hour before kick-off, real-time score updates, and post-match analysis within minutes of the final whistle. Whether you bleed red for the Taeguk Warriors or blue for the Samurai, Tuesday’s showdown promises drama, passion, and a fresh chapter in one of Asian football’s fiercest rivalries.