Japan Women host Wales Women at Kumagaya Rugby Stadium on Saturday, October 31, 2026, in the WXV Global Series. The teams meet again just one week after Wales won their first October Test 17–0 in Tokyo. That result is confirmed, but it is not a score for the upcoming Kumagaya match: the second contest has not yet been played as of this October 29 preview.
The key practical details are now in place. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. in Kumagaya, Japan Standard Time (JST, UTC+09:00), on Saturday, October 31, or 07:00 UTC on October 31. Japan’s rugby union has also published Japanese television and streaming information, ticket guidance, stadium access details and opening times. The confirmed starting teams for this second meeting should be checked separately from those selected for October 24.
| Match | Japan Women vs. Wales Women |
|---|---|
| Competition | 2026 WXV Global Series; Taiyo Seimei Japan Rugby Challenge Match 2026 |
| Date | Saturday, October 31, 2026 |
| Kickoff in Japan | 4:00 p.m. JST (UTC+09:00), Kumagaya |
| UTC kickoff | 07:00 UTC, Saturday, October 31 |
| Kickoff in Wales | 7:00 a.m. Greenwich Mean Time (GMT, UTC+00:00), Saturday, October 31 |
| Stadium | Kumagaya Rugby Stadium, Kumagaya Sports Culture Park, Saitama Prefecture, Japan |
The World Rugby match center and Japan Rugby Football Union fixture page agree on the October 31 venue and fixture. Kumagaya is on Japan Standard Time throughout the year and does not observe daylight saving time. The United Kingdom returned to GMT on October 25, 2026, so the kickoff in Wales is 7:00 a.m. GMT rather than British Summer Time. All three times above represent the same scheduled kickoff, not different events.
On Saturday, October 24, Wales beat Japan 17–0 at Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium in Tokyo, taking a 7–0 lead into halftime. The JRFU official October 24 result reports that final score and venue. The October 31 game is a separate fixture in Kumagaya, so fans checking match listings should distinguish the completed Tokyo match from the forthcoming rematch.
That shutout sets up a clear sporting question for the hosts: can Japan produce more sustained attacking pressure and turn territory into points? For Wales, the challenge is to reproduce the defensive control of the first contest rather than assume that another shutout will follow. These are pregame questions, not claims about what will happen. Neither a previous result nor a team’s ranking confirms the outcome of the next Test.
The Japan training-camp squad announcement lists players taking part in the Kumagaya camp running October 20 to November 1. That pool gives Japan options for the second match, but a camp roster is not an official matchday team sheet. The first-Test selections likewise should not be copied forward as if the same 15 players and replacements had been named for October 31. Any lineup changes must be taken from a new JRFU team announcement or the updated World Rugby match center.
The hosts are commonly known as the Sakura Fifteen. After being held scoreless in Tokyo, the effectiveness of their ball retention, kicking choices, breakdown work and ability to finish attacking phases will be worth watching in Kumagaya. Those are areas to observe during the game, not assertions that the coaching staff have promised a particular tactical change.
Wales head coach Sean Lynn selected co-captains Kate Williams and Alex Callender for the October 24 Test. That Welsh Rugby Union October 24 lineup release also named Keira Bevan at fly-half, Seren Lockwood at scrum-half and Carys Cox in midfield for the first game. It confirms the earlier match’s selections only. It does not establish that those players will occupy the same positions, or even start, on October 31.
The Wales touring-squad announcement identifies the visitors’ touring group for the two Japan fixtures. Selection, fitness and the bench for the return match remain subject to the teams’ next official announcements. The most reliable method for readers is to revisit the World Rugby match center shortly before kickoff and compare its starting XVs and substitutes with any newer releases from the two unions. As of this preview, no complete, verified October 31 lineup is being presented here.
The Japanese host union confirms J SPORTS 1 for live television coverage and J SPORTS On Demand for live streaming, both beginning at 3:45 p.m. JST (UTC+09:00) on October 31. That is 06:45 UTC, 15 minutes ahead of the scheduled 4:00 p.m. JST kickoff. The broadcast information is set out in the JRFU October 31 matchday guide.
Those announcements are for the Japanese services; they should not be treated as proof of access in Wales, the United States or other markets. Viewers outside Japan should check an authorized local rights holder or the World Rugby match center for any regional viewing details. No specific UK or US television channel is independently confirmed in the official match information reviewed for this article.
The JRFU October 31 matchday guide schedules outdoor booths to open at 2:00 p.m. JST (UTC+09:00) and stadium gates to open at 3:00 p.m. JST on Saturday, October 31. Kickoff is an hour later at 4:00 p.m. JST. The venue specifies Gate A on the main-stand side and Gate D on the back-stand side for entry and exit; reentry is permitted with a reentry pass collected at the gate. Stadium staff may adjust opening arrangements depending on conditions.
The host’s published ticket price schedule lists a Category 1 reserved main-stand seat at ¥3,000 in advance or ¥4,000 on matchday. Category 2 general admission for adults is listed at ¥2,000 in advance or ¥3,000 on matchday, with a lower category price for school-age spectators. These are advertised categories, not a guarantee that any particular seat remains available. The organizers say matchday tickets will be sold only if advance sales do not exhaust capacity. If offered, same-day sales are planned by Gate A beginning at 2:00 p.m. JST. Use the official ticket links in the JRFU October 31 matchday guide to verify inventory and any eligibility conditions.
The stadium is within Kumagaya Sports Culture Park at 810 Kamikawakami, Kumagaya, Saitama 360-0004, Japan. The JRFU says parking within the park is free but limited, with some areas reserved for event personnel or other activities. Arriving early and checking the official access map is safer than assuming a parking space will be available.
For the journey after the match, the organizer’s access notice lists two additional Kokusai Juo Kotsu bus departures at 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. JST (UTC+09:00) from the bus rotary by the P2 parking area. These are advertised departure times, not guarantees of a seat. Check the latest transportation instructions before traveling, especially if relying on the later service or an onward train connection.
Visitors should also note that the organizer identifies a stroller area at the entry gates but says it is not staffed, and reports no luggage-storage or coin-locker service at the ground. Baby-care rooms are listed on the main-stand and back-stand concourses. For mobility needs, wheelchair seating and related arrangements are included in the official ticket information; confirm availability and the recommended entrance with the organizer rather than assuming that every area is accessible through the same route.
This return meeting offers a direct comparison over seven days, but it need not produce the same tactical picture. Japan will be seeking a response to the October 24 scoreline, while Wales can test whether their defensive organization holds up away from the Tokyo venue. In rugby union, the scrum, lineout, breakdown and kicking exchanges can all influence how much usable possession either side creates. Discipline is another important variable: penalties can give opponents territory or scoring chances without a long passage of open play.
World Rugby’s match information names Julianne Zussman as referee, with Sunny Lee and Hibiki Ikeda as assistant referees, Matt Rodden as television match official and Koki Yamauchi as foul-play review officer. These appointments are also published in World Rugby appointments. The named officials are not a prediction of the number or type of decisions that will occur.
As of October 29, the October 31 Kumagaya match is still scheduled, and there is no confirmed final score for that fixture. The 17–0 result belongs exclusively to the completed October 24 game in Tokyo. Once the second Test finishes, use the World Rugby match center and the Japan Rugby Football Union fixture page for the final score, team sheets and match record. Until then, a scoreboard placeholder, projected squad or forecast should not be mistaken for a completed result.
Information checked for this preview on October 29, 2026. All stated kickoff, coverage, stadium-opening and travel times refer to Saturday, October 31, 2026, unless another date is explicitly given.
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