Who can still qualify for 2026 FIFA World Cup from Asia and how?

What adjacent for the AFC World Cup 2026 qualifiers?

Qatar and Saudi Arabia volition big the Asian qualifying playoffs for the 2026 World Cup, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) person confirmed.

Six teams, the 3rd and fourth-placed sides from the caller Asian 3rd circular of qualifying, volition beryllium divided into 2 groups of 3 teams.

They volition conflict each different successful a centralised format from October 8 to 14, 2025, the AFC said successful a connection connected Friday.

The radical winners volition unafraid the 2 remaining automatic berths astatine the World Cup.

The runners-up from each radical volition play 2 matches connected November 13 and 18, with the winners qualifying for the inter-confederation playoffs, done which they could triumph a spot astatine the World Cup.

When is the gully for the 4th circular of AFC World Cup qualifying?

The gully for the next, and final, circular of qualifying successful Asia is scheduled for July 17.

The venues for each of the matches volition beryllium confirmed thereafter.

The presumption of a elephantine AFC Asian Cup trophy displayed wrong Lusail stadium earlier the past last betwixt Qatar and Jordan [Rula Rouhana/Reuters]

What happened successful the past circular of AFC World Cup qualifiers?

The 3rd circular of qualifying constituted 3 groups of six, with the apical 2 teams from each radical automatically qualifying for the World Cup, filling six of the AFC’s 8 slots astatine the 2026 variation of satellite football’s showpiece event.

The third- and fourth-placed teams from each radical progressed to the last circular of the AFC qualifiers, hoping to triumph 1 of the rapidly dwindling spots astatine the World Cup finals.

The bottommost 2 teams from each of those groups were eliminated – Palestine being the past broadside to spot their hopes of progressing ended erstwhile they were defeated by a precocious punishment for Oman, who claimed 4th spot successful Group B arsenic a result.

It was the furthest Palestine had reached successful their attempts to suffice for a World Cup.

Which six AFC teams person already qualified for the World Cup?

Japan were the archetypal squad to unafraid their place astatine the tournament, which is to beryllium hosted in the United States, Canada and Mexico, erstwhile they swept done Group C. Australia, successful the aforesaid group, claimed their spot successful 2nd spot with a last time triumph against Saudi Arabia, who could person leapt supra the Socceroos with a win.

Jordan and Uzbekistan some finished 2nd successful their groups, down South Korea and Iraq respectively, sealing their archetypal appearances astatine at World Cup.

Qatar’s Akram Afif won Player of the Tournament astatine the past AFC Asian Cup but faces a hold to suffice for the adjacent FIFA World Cup [Molly Darlington/Reuters]

Which AFC teams tin inactive suffice for the 2026 World Cup?

Indonesia, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are the six teams inactive successful with a accidental of reaching the World Cup finals.

AFC Asian Cup champions, and hosts of the 2022 World Cup, Qatar endured a mixed run to decorativeness 4th successful Group A, with UAE claiming third.

Indonesia, hoping for lone a 2nd quality astatine the World Cup finals, secured the 4th spot successful Group C, seeing disconnected a precocious complaint from China, who missed retired connected qualification for the adjacent signifier alongside Bahrain. Saudi Arabia finished 3rd successful that group.

Iraq and Oman finished 3rd and fourth, respectively, successful Group B.

When and wherever is the adjacent AFC Asian Cup?

The adjacent variation of the Asian Cup volition beryllium played successful 2027. Saudi Arabia, which volition besides big the 2034 FIFA World Cup, has been named the big nation.

How bash you suffice for the AFC Asian Cup?

The archetypal circular of AFC qualifying for the tournament began successful October 2023, and saw 20 teams (ranked 27 to 46) playing location and distant playoffs, with the 10 winners progressing.

The 2nd circular saw the teams ranked 1-26 articulation the qualification process, with the 36 teams divided into 9 groups. The circular was played crossed 2023 and 2024.

The winners and runners-up of the 9 groups progressed not lone to the 2027 Asian Cup, but besides to the AFC World Cup qualifying groups.

A 3rd circular of qualifiers is presently successful advancement to find retired who volition enactment up astatine the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, alongside the 18 teams that person conscionable completed the AFC qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.