BRIGHTON, England (AP) — Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu has an anxious wait on the fitness of star forward Kaoru Mitoma before naming a World Cup squad on Friday.
Mitoma limped off with an apparent hamstring injury Saturday in the second half of Brighton’s 3-0 win over Wolverhampton in the Premier League.
One of Japan’s standout players at the 2022 World Cup, Mitoma scored in a 1-0 win over England in March at Wembley Stadium.
His World Cup tournament is in doubt five weeks before Japan faces the Netherlands on June 14 in Arlington, Texas.
“I hope it’s a minor injury. I was told by staff, ‘It doesn’t seem minor,’” Moriyasu was reported telling Japanese media Sunday about Mitoma.
Brighton coach Fabian Hurzeler said “it looked like a hamstring injury” but the club would await scan to clarify the severity.
Seventh-place Brighton is still in contention to qualify for the Champions League with two rounds left in the Premier League. England could get a record-tying six entries.
Japan’s World Cup plans are already missing another key forward Takumi Minamino, who tore an ACL playing for Monaco in December.
Japan also plays Tunisia on June 20 in Monterrey, Mexico then returns to Texas to play Sweden on June 25. The top two in Group F advance to the round of 32 and the third-place team also could join them.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup
Wolverhampton Wanderers' Joao Gomes, left, and Brighton and Hove Albion's Kaoru Mitoma in action during the English Premier League soccer match between Brighton and Hove Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers in Brighton, England, Saturday May 9, 2026. (John Walton/PA via AP)
CHICAGO & PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 11, 2026--
Lunchables is entering a new era of snacking. Today, the brand introduces Snackables – its first-ever double snack pack inspired by the rising demand for bite-sized, shareable foods and on-the-go formats people are craving. Designed for splitting, swapping and sharing, Snackables brings together craveable combinations of cheese, crunchy crackers and poppable favorites in convenient-dual compartment packs made for modern snack moments that both parents and kids will love.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260511745616/en/
As nearly half of Americans now snack 2-3 times per day 1 and mini, snackable food formats continue to surge in popularity, 2 Lunchables is bringing its signature mix-and-match experience to an entirely new occasion. Each Snackables pack delivers 5 grams of protein and brings together two of Lunchables’ most iconic elements — cheese and crunchy crackers — alongside the poppable bites fans are reaching for most right now, 3 including fruit snacks and chocolate chip graham crackers.
Snackables launches in two varieties:
“For decades, Lunchables has been a kid-loved, parent-approved offering for lunchtime, snacktime and all other moments in between, and as our fans’ snacking habits continue to evolve, we saw an opportunity to bring something new to the table,” said Brittany Piszynski, Director of Marketing for Lunchables. “As the original charcuterie kit brand, we’re putting a spin on our most iconic ingredients with Snackables, creating a snack kids will love and parents can feel good about serving to their families.”
The launch taps into a broader cultural shift around shared snacking experiences — from curated snack boards to casual hang outs, snacking has increasingly become a social activity rooted in both connection and convenience. In fact, nearly half of Gen Z consumers say they enjoy sweets and snacks with friends, 4 while shared food experiences like charcuterie have been linked to increased happiness and social connection.
In celebration of Snackables and the art of snacking together, Lunchables is introducing the Snackables CharcuteRING. A snackable spin on the current friendship ring trend, the CharcuteRING brings to life Lunchables’ signature mix-and-match approach as a wearable accessory, turning shared snacking into an official friendship moment. Fans can sign up for early access to the Snackables CharecuteRING by visiting Lunchables.com/Charcutering, with nationwide purchase available on National Best Friends Day, June 8.
Snackables is now rolling out to retailers nationwide for $2.99 per double snack pack. To learn more about Lunchables Snackables and the Snackables CharcuteRING, fans can follow along on the Lunchables Instagram and TikTok.
1 Innova Market Insights, Consumer Snack Trends in the US, June 2025
2World Happiness Report, 2025
3 Lunchables Snackables Consumer Liking Test, 7/15/2025
4Talker Research, 2026
ABOUT THE KRAFT HEINZ COMPANY
Kraft Heinz (Nasdaq: KHC) is one of the world’s largest food and beverage companies, with approximately $25 billion in net sales in 2025 and a portfolio of iconic brands enjoyed by consumers in more than 40 countries. By investing in our capabilities and brands, including Heinz, Kraft, Philadelphia, Primal Kitchen, and Lunchables, we are unlocking the full power of our portfolio. We deliver high‑quality, great‑tasting, and affordable food for the consumers of today, while shaping the future of food. Learn more at www.kraftheinzcompany.com.
Lunchables is giving friends a new way to snack together with the debut of Snackables: a new snack offering combining sweet & savory bites in a convenient double pack format, perfect for splitting, swapping and sharing.
