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2026 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC third round

2026 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC third round
Tournament details
Dates5 September 2024 – 10 June 2025
Teams18 (from 1 confederation)
Tournament statistics
Matches played54
Goals scored142 (2.63 per match)
Attendance1,470,050 (27,223 per match)
Top scorer(s)Jordan Yazan Al-Naimat
Qatar Almoez Ali
(5 goals each)
← 2022
2030 →
All statistics correct as of 19 November 2024.

The third round of AFC matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification is played from 5 September 2024 to 10 June 2025.[1]

Format

The eighteen teams that advanced from the second round (nine group winners and nine group runners-up) were divided into three groups of six teams. The teams will play against each other on a home-and-away basis. The top two teams of each group will qualify directly for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while the third and fourth-placed teams will advance to the fourth round.[2]

From the teams that advance to the fourth round, the two teams with the best results in this round also receive the right to host the fourth round groups.[3]

Qualified teams

The following teams finished first or second in their respective second round groups:[4]

Draw

The draw for the third round was held on 27 June 2024 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.[4]

The seeding for the draw was based on the FIFA Men's World Rankings on 20 June 2024 (shown in parentheses below).[5]

Each group contained one team from each of the six pots. The draw started with Pot 6 and concluded with Pot 1, with each team drawn being placed in the corresponding position sequentially in Group A, then B, then C.[6]

Pot 1 Pot 2 Pot 3
  1.  Japan (17)
  2.  Iran (20)
  3.  South Korea (22)
  1.  Australia (23)
  2.  Qatar (35)
  3.  Iraq (55)
  1.  Saudi Arabia (56)
  2.  Uzbekistan (62)
  3.  Jordan (68)
Pot 4 Pot 5 Pot 6
  1.  United Arab Emirates (69)
  2.  Oman (76)
  3.  Bahrain (81)
  1.  China (88)
  2.  Palestine (95)
  3.  Kyrgyzstan (101)
  1.  North Korea (110)
  2.  Indonesia (134)
  3.  Kuwait (137)

Schedule

The competition schedule is expected to be as follows:[1][7]

Matchday Date
Matchday 1 5 September 2024
Matchday 2 10 September 2024
Matchday 3 10 October 2024
Matchday 4 15 October 2024
Matchday 5 14–15 November 2024
Matchday 6 19 November 2024
Matchday 7 20 March 2025
Matchday 8 25 March 2025
Matchday 9 5 June 2025
Matchday 10 10 June 2025

Group A

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Iran Uzbekistan United Arab Emirates Qatar Kyrgyzstan North Korea
1  Iran (X) 6 5 1 0 12 5 +7 16 2026 FIFA World Cup — 25 Mar 20 Mar 4–1 1–0 10 Jun
2  Uzbekistan 6 4 1 1 8 5 +3 13 0–0 — 1–0 10 Jun 20 Mar 1–0
3  United Arab Emirates 6 3 1 2 12 4 +8 10 Fourth round 0–1 5 Jun — 5–0 3–0 1–1
4  Qatar 6 2 1 3 10 17 −7 7 5 Jun 3–2 1–3 — 3–1 20 Mar
5  Kyrgyzstan 6 1 0 5 6 13 −7 3 2–3 2–3 10 Jun 25 Mar — 1–0
6  North Korea 6 0 2 4 5 9 −4 2 2–3 0–1 25 Mar 2–2 5 Jun —
Updated to match(es) played on 19 November 2024. Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(X) Assured of advancing to the fourth round; can still qualify directly
Uzbekistan 1–0 North Korea
 Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 24,205
Referee: Ahmed Al-Kaf (Oman)
Iran 1–0 Kyrgyzstan
 Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 12,077
Referee: Yusuke Araki (Japan)
Qatar 1–3 United Arab Emirates
 Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 33,952
North Korea 2–2 Qatar
 Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 140
Kyrgyzstan 2–3 Uzbekistan
 Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 13,282
Referee: Ahmed Al-Ali (Kuwait)
United Arab Emirates 0–1 Iran
Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 17,826
Uzbekistan 0–0 Iran
Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 33,829
Qatar 3–1 Kyrgyzstan
 Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 25,195
United Arab Emirates 1–1 North Korea
 Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 8,536
Uzbekistan 1–0 United Arab Emirates
 Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 32,773
Referee: Ma Ning (China)
Kyrgyzstan 1–0 North Korea
 Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 9,769
Referee: Khaled Al-Hoish (Saudi Arabia)
Iran 4–1 Qatar
 Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Rashid Stadium, Dubai (United Arab Emirates)[note 2]
Attendance: 7,890
Referee: Yusuke Araki (Japan)
North Korea 2–3 Iran
 Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 100
Referee: Sadullo Gulmurodi (Tajikistan)
Qatar 3–2 Uzbekistan
 Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 10,759
United Arab Emirates 3–0 Kyrgyzstan
 Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 6,238
Referee: Ahmed Al-Kaf (Oman)
North Korea 0–1 Uzbekistan
Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 166
Referee: Ahmed Al-Ali (Kuwait)
Kyrgyzstan 2–3 Iran
 Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 10,021
Referee: Ma Ning (China)
United Arab Emirates 5–0 Qatar
 Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 13,825
Referee: Khalid Saleh Al-Turais (Saudi Arabia)
Iran v United Arab Emirates
Report
Qatar v North Korea
Report
Uzbekistan v Kyrgyzstan
Report
Iran v Uzbekistan
Report
Kyrgyzstan v Qatar
Report
North Korea v United Arab Emirates
Report
Qatar v Iran
Report
United Arab Emirates v Uzbekistan
Report
North Korea v Kyrgyzstan
Report
Iran v North Korea
Report
Uzbekistan v Qatar
Report

Group B

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification South Korea Iraq Jordan Oman Kuwait State of Palestine
1  South Korea 6 4 2 0 12 5 +7 14 2026 FIFA World Cup — 3–2 25 Mar 20 Mar 10 Jun 0–0
2  Iraq 6 3 2 1 5 3 +2 11 5 Jun — 0–0 1–0 20 Mar 1–0
3  Jordan 6 2 3 1 9 5 +4 9 Fourth round 0–2 10 Jun — 4–0 1–1 20 Mar
4  Oman 6 2 0 4 6 9 −3 6 1–3 0–1 5 Jun — 4–0 1–0
5  Kuwait 6 0 4 2 5 11 −6 4 1–3 0–0 1–1 25 Mar — 5 Jun
6  Palestine 6 0 3 3 4 8 −4 3 1–1 25 Mar 1–3 10 Jun 2–2 —
Updated to match(es) played on 19 November 2024. Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
South Korea 0–0 Palestine
Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 59,579
Iraq 1–0 Oman
 Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 63,720
Referee: Khalid Al-Turais (Saudi Arabia)
Jordan 1–1 Kuwait
 Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 13,555
Referee: Adel Al-Naqbi (United Arab Emirates)
Palestine 1–3 Jordan
 Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 3,012
Oman 1–3 South Korea
 Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 27,144
Referee: Ma Ning (China)
Kuwait 0–0 Iraq
Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 58,000
Jordan 0–2 South Korea
Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 14,655
Referee: Hiroyuki Kimura (Japan)
Oman 4–0 Kuwait
 Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 25,891
Referee: Alireza Faghani (Australia)
Iraq 1–0 Palestine
 Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 44,773
Referee: Adel Al-Naqbi (United Arab Emirates)
South Korea 3–2 Iraq
 Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 35,198
Referee: Rustam Lutfullin (Uzbekistan)
Jordan 4–0 Oman
 Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 14,515
Referee: Khalid Al-Turais (Saudi Arabia)
Palestine 2–2 Kuwait
 Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 1,827
Referee: Abdulrahman Al-Jassim (Qatar)
Kuwait 1–3 South Korea
 Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 22,791
Oman 1–0 Palestine
 Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 21,754
Referee: Fu Ming (China)
Iraq 0–0 Jordan
Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 65,000
Referee: Mohammed Al Hoish (Saudi Arabia)
Palestine 1–1 South Korea
 Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 2,405
Referee: Yusuke Araki (Japan)
Oman 0–1 Iraq
Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 26,377
Referee: Omar Mohamed Al Ali (United Arab Emirates)
South Korea v Oman
Report
Iraq v Kuwait
Report
Jordan v Palestine
Report
South Korea v Jordan
Report
Palestine v Iraq
Report
Kuwait v Oman
Report
Iraq v South Korea
Report
Oman v Jordan
Report
Kuwait v Palestine
Report
South Korea v Kuwait
Report
Jordan v Iraq
Report
Palestine v Oman
Report

Group C

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Japan Australia Indonesia Saudi Arabia Bahrain China
1  Japan (X) 6 5 1 0 22 2 +20 16 2026 FIFA World Cup — 1–1 10 Jun 25 Mar 20 Mar 7–0
2  Australia 6 1 4 1 6 5 +1 7 5 Jun — 20 Mar 0–0 0–1 3–1
3  Indonesia 6 1 3 2 6 9 −3 6 Fourth round 0–4 0–0 — 2–0 25 Mar 5 Jun
4  Saudi Arabia 6 1 3 2 3 6 −3 6 0–2 10 Jun 1–1 — 0–0 20 Mar
5  Bahrain 6 1 3 2 5 10 −5 6 0–5 2–2 2–2 5 Jun — 0–1
6  China 6 2 0 4 6 16 −10 6 1–3 25 Mar 2–1 1–2 10 Jun —
Updated to match(es) played on 19 November 2024. Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(X) Assured of advancing to the fourth round; can still qualify directly
Australia 0–1 Bahrain
Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 24,644
Referee: Omar Al-Ali (United Arab Emirates)
Japan 7–0 China
 Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 52,398
Saudi Arabia 1–1 Indonesia
 Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 42,385
Indonesia 0–0 Australia
Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 70,059
Referee: Salman Ahmad Falahi (Qatar)
China 1–2 Saudi Arabia
 Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 48,628
Referee: Nasrullo Kabirov (Tajikistan)
Bahrain 0–5 Japan
Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 22,729
Referee: Rustam Lutfullin (Uzbekistan)
Australia 3–1 China
 Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 46,219
Bahrain 2–2 Indonesia
 Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 10,731
Referee: Ahmed Al-Kaf (Oman)
Saudi Arabia 0–2 Japan
Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 56,283
Referee: Kim Jong-hyeok (South Korea)
Japan 1–1 Australia
 Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 58,730
Referee: Ahmed Al-Ali (Kuwait)
China 2–1 Indonesia
 Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 37,133
Referee: Omar Al-Ali (United Arab Emirates)
Saudi Arabia 0–0 Bahrain
Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 35,437
Referee: Salman Ahmad Falahi (Qatar)
Australia 0–0 Saudi Arabia
Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 27,491
Referee: Adel Al-Naqbi (United Arab Emirates)
Bahrain 0–1 China
Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 7,921
Indonesia 0–4 Japan
Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 60,304
China 1–3 Japan
 Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 45,336
Indonesia 2–0 Saudi Arabia
 Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 55,970
Referee: Rustam Lutfullin (Uzbekistan)
Bahrain 2–2 Australia
 Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 6,873
Japan v Bahrain
Report
Australia v Indonesia
Report
Saudi Arabia v China
Report
Japan v Saudi Arabia
Report
China v Australia
Report
Indonesia v Bahrain
Report
Australia v Japan
Report
Indonesia v China
Report
Bahrain v Saudi Arabia
Report
Japan v Indonesia
Report
China v Bahrain
Report
Saudi Arabia v Australia
Report

Goalscorers

There have been 142 goals scored in 54 matches, for an average of 2.63 goals per match (as of 19 November 2024).

5 goals

4 goals

3 goals

2 goals

1 goal

1 own goal

Notes

  1. ^ a b c The North Korean team has confirmed moving the match to Laos due to "security concerns".[8][9]
  2. ^ The AFC has moved the match to a neutral venue due to security concerns relating to the 2024 Iran–Israel conflict.[10]
  3. ^ a b c Palestine play all their home matches at a neutral venue until further notice, due to the ongoing Israel–Hamas war.[11]
  4. ^ a b Because of traffic accidents holding up the Australians on the Shuto Expressway, Football Australia and JFA jointly requested to slightly postpone the match, but were denied by the AFC match commissioner.[12][13] Australia started warming up at 19:06, 29 minutes before kick-off.[13] Australia, staying in the five-star Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo in downtown Bunkyō, Tokyo,[12][14] took 2 hours 9 minutes (16:37-18:46) to arrive the stadium via chartered coach,[12] while ordinary driving time from Tokyo Station is estimated to be 40 minutes, according to the stadium.[15]

References

  1. ^ a b "AFC Competitions Calendar (Jul 2024 – Jun 2025)" (PDF). Asian Football Confederation. 15 May 2024. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
  2. ^ "Asia's pathway to the FIFA World Cup 2026 and AFC Asian Cup 2027 confirmed". Asian Football Confederation. 1 August 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
  3. ^ "AFC Competitions Committee approves key decisions on reformatted competitions". the-AFC. Asian Football Confederation. 1 July 2023. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Third round cast finalised". the-AFC.com. Asian Football Confederation. 12 June 2024. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
  5. ^ "Road to 26 draw to reveal riveting battles for Asian contenders". the-AFC.com. Asian Football Confederation. 21 June 2024. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  6. ^ "Draw procedures for the AFC Preliminary Draw for the FIFA World Cup 26" (PDF). FIFA. 21 June 2024. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  7. ^ "Road to 26 - Draw Results & Match Schedule" (PDF). the-AFC.com. Asian Football Confederation. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
  8. ^ Reddy, Shreyas (16 August 2024). "North Korea moves World Cup qualifier from Pyongyang due to 'security concerns'". NK News. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  9. ^ "Latest update on AFC Asian Qualifiers - Road to 26". the-AFC.com. Asian Football Confederation. 21 October 2024. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  10. ^ "Latest update on AFC Asian Qualifiers - Road to 26". the-AFC.com. Asian Football Confederation. 10 October 2024. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
  11. ^ "Malaysia to host Palestine vs Jordan World Cup Qualifier match". The Sun. 8 August 2024. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
  12. ^ a b c Smyth, Rob (2024-10-15). "Admirable defensive performance earns the Socceroos a vital point in a match of two own goals against the Samurai Blue". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2024-10-16. Our man in Tokyo says both teams requested a delay to the kick-off and were rejected by the Asian Football Confederation. That's pretty ordinary, and there are a few alternative words as well— Socceroos team bus set out at 4:37pm from Bunkyo and arrived in Saitama 6:46pm - Two hours and nine minutes. JFA and FA requested a delay to kickoff but AFC declined— Joey Lynch
  13. ^ a b McKern, James (2024-10-15). "Socceroos dudded by 'scandalous' decision after chaotic scenes unfold". news.com.au.
  14. ^ @Socceroos (2024-10-15). "One final stretch of the legs on matchday 👟 Tonight's kick off in Japan awaits". Twitter. Archived from the original on 2024-10-16. [photos of Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo]
  15. ^ "Directions". Saitama Stadium official website. Archived from the original on 2023-02-04. Retrieved 2023-02-04. By Car: Urawa interchange - 10 minutes, Iwatsuki interchange - 15 minutes, Tokyo Station - 40 minutes, Haneda Airport - 50 minutes
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