The draw for the final round of the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup resulted in fiery clashes for the Saudi national team, placing 5 Arab teams in one group. The Saudi team was placed in Group C alongside Japan and Australia. Meanwhile, Group B comprised 5 Arab teams: Iraq, Jordan, Oman, Palestine, and Kuwait, who will compete against South Korea. The Qatari team, the Asian champion, was placed in Group A alongside Iran and the UAE.
The Asian Football Confederation conducted the final round draw this Thursday morning in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur. A total of 18 teams qualified for the final round, finishing in the top two positions in the second round of qualifiers. These teams were divided into 3 groups, with 6 teams in each. The final round matches will take place from September 2024 to June 2025. Asia has 8 direct slots at the World Cup scheduled to be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, in addition to one spot in the intercontinental playoff.
The top two teams from each group will qualify directly for the World Cup, securing 6 of the 8 available slots for the Asian Football Confederation. The teams finishing third and fourth in each group will be split into two groups, with the winners of each qualifying for the World Cup. The second-placed teams will face each other in a decisive match, with the winner advancing to the intercontinental playoff.
Here are the complete draw results:
- **Group A:** Iran - Qatar - Uzbekistan - UAE - Kyrgyzstan - North Korea.
- **Group B:** South Korea - Iraq - Jordan - Oman - Palestine - Kuwait.
- **Group C:** Japan - Australia - Saudi Arabia - Bahrain - China - Indonesia.
