France (W) vs Japan Prediction 6 February 2026
🔊 France have complicated their prospects for advancing to the playoffs of the women's ice hockey tournament at the 2026 Olympics after a loss to Italy. Can the French team pull off a surprise and defeat one of Group B's favorites, Japan? We break down the matchup on the second day of Olympic competition and offer a prediction for the game on February 6.
Head-to-Head
📊 The national teams of France and Japan have faced each other in official matches 4 times, with the Japanese team winning each encounter by a significant margin. Additionally, they have played 8 head-to-head friendly matches, with Japan coming out on top in 6 of them, while France claimed victory in 2.
H2H Stats Matches and Previous Teams Results
France (W) Team Overview
The French national team fell to Italy (1-4) on the first day of competition. Gabrielle de Serres scored the lone goal for the French side. This loss to the hosts of the 2026 Olympics complicates their chances of advancing to the tournament playoffs, where only three out of five teams will qualify.
The French women are making their Olympic debut. In 2023, they competed in the top division at the World Championship, while the last two tournaments saw them in Group A of Division I. France qualified for the Olympics in place of the suspended Russian team, as the best runner-up in group qualification. Notably, they lost a key qualifying match to Japan (1-7).
Match Results: France (W)
Japan (W) Team Overview
Unlike their rivals, the Japanese team can already be considered regulars at the Olympic Games. They have consistently participated in hockey tournaments since 2014. In the latest competitions, Yuji Iizuka led the squad to the tournament's playoffs for the first time. In the quarterfinals, the Asian team fell to Finland (1-7).
For the current tournament, Japan qualified as one of the top teams from the qualifiers. Besides a comprehensive victory over France, the Japanese team also secured two convincing wins against Poland (6-0) and China (4-1). Over the past year, Japan claimed the Asian Games title and reached the quarterfinals of the World Championship.
Match Results: Japan (W)
🏆 Winter Olympics Statistics
- 1998 (Nagano, Japan): France - did not participate, Japan - 6th place
- 2002 (Salt Lake City, USA): France - did not participate, Japan - did not participate
- 2006 (Turin, Italy): France - did not participate, Japan - did not participate
- 2010 (Vancouver, Canada): France - did not participate, Japan - did not participate
- 2014 (Sochi, Russia): France - did not participate, Japan - 8th place
- 2018 (Pyeongchang, South Korea): France - did not participate, Japan - 6th place
- 2022 (Beijing, China): France - did not participate, Japan - 6th place
Editorial Prediction
The French team have no choice but to push forward-losing to the Italians wasn't part of their plan, so now they need to secure points against the group favorites. An open game with plenty of goals will play into Japan's hands.
All four official matches between these teams-friendlies don't carry the same weight-ended with Japanese victories by at least three goals. We back a confident win for the Asian side and predict a Japan victory with a -2 handicap.
Betting Tips: France (W) - Japan (W)
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