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2026 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC third round

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

2026 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC third round
Tournament details
Dates5 September 2024 – 10 June 2025
Teams18 (from 1 confederation)
← 2022
2030 →

Format

The eighteen teams that advanced from the second round (nine group winners and nine group runners-up) will be 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]

Qualified teams

The following teams finished first or second in their respective second round groups:[3]

Draw

The draw for the third round will be held on 27 June 2024 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.[3]

The seeding for the draw was based on the FIFA Men's World Rankings on 20 June 2024 (shown in parentheses below).[4]

Each group will contain one team from each of the six pots. The draw will start with Pot 6 and conclude with Pot 1, with each team drawn being placed in the corresponding position sequentially in Group A, then B, then C.[5]

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]

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 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

Groups

Group A

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 A6
1 A1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2026 FIFA World Cup — 15 Oct 25 Mar 20 Mar 5 Sep 10 Jun
2 A2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 Jun — 14 Nov 5 Sep 10 Oct 20 Mar
3 A3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Fourth round 10 Oct 10 Jun — 15 Oct 20 Mar 5 Sep
4 A4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 Sep 19 Nov 5 Jun — 14 Nov 10 Oct
5 A5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 19 Nov 25 Mar 10 Sep 10 Jun — 15 Oct
6 A6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 14 Nov 10 Sep 19 Nov 25 Mar 5 Jun —
First match(es) will be played: 5 September 2024. Source: AFC[2]
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
A1vA5
A2vA4
A3vA6
A4vA1
A5vA3
A6vA2
A2vA5
A3vA1
A4vA6
A1vA2
A3vA4
A5vA6
A2vA3
A4vA5
A6vA1
A4vA2
A5vA1
A6vA3
A1vA4
A2vA6
A3vA5
A1vA3
A5vA2
A6vA4
A2vA1
A4vA3
A6vA5
A1vA6
A3vA2
A5vA4

Group B

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 B6
1 B1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2026 FIFA World Cup — 15 Oct 25 Mar 20 Mar 5 Sep 10 Jun
2 B2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 Jun — 14 Nov 5 Sep 10 Oct 20 Mar
3 B3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Fourth round 10 Oct 10 Jun — 15 Oct 20 Mar 5 Sep
4 B4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 Sep 19 Nov 5 Jun — 14 Nov 10 Oct
5 B5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 19 Nov 25 Mar 10 Sep 10 Jun — 15 Oct
6 B6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 14 Nov 10 Sep 19 Nov 25 Mar 5 Jun —
First match(es) will be played: 5 September 2024. Source: AFC[2]
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
B1vB5
B2vB4
B3vB6
B4vB1
B5vB3
B6vB2
B2vB5
B3vB1
B4vB6
B1vB2
B3vB4
B5vB6
B2vB3
B4vB5
B6vB1
B4vB2
B5vB1
B6vB3
B1vB4
B2vB6
B3vB5
B1vB3
B5vB2
B6vB4
B2vB1
B4vB3
B6vB5
B1vB6
B3vB2
B5vB4

Group C

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6
1 C1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2026 FIFA World Cup — 15 Oct 25 Mar 20 Mar 5 Sep 10 Jun
2 C2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 Jun — 14 Nov 5 Sep 10 Oct 20 Mar
3 C3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Fourth round 10 Oct 10 Jun — 15 Oct 20 Mar 5 Sep
4 C4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 Sep 19 Nov 5 Jun — 14 Nov 10 Oct
5 C5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 19 Nov 25 Mar 10 Sep 10 Jun — 15 Oct
6 C6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 14 Nov 10 Sep 19 Nov 25 Mar 5 Jun —
First match(es) will be played: 5 September 2024. Source: AFC[2]
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
C1vC5
C2vC4
C3vC6
C4vC1
C5vC3
C6vC2
C2vC5
C3vC1
C4vC6
C1vC2
C3vC4
C5vC6
C2vC3
C4vC5
C6vC1
C4vC2
C5vC1
C6vC3
C1vC4
C2vC6
C3vC5
C1vC3
C5vC2
C6vC4
C2vC1
C4vC3
C6vC5
C1vC6
C3vC2
C5vC4

References

  1. ^ a b "AFC Competitions Calendar (Jul 2024 – Jun 2025)" (PDF). AFC. 15 May 2024. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d "Asia's pathway to the FIFA World Cup 2026 and AFC Asian Cup 2027 confirmed". AFC. 1 August 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Third round cast finalised". the-afc. Asian Football Confederation. 12 June 2024. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
  4. ^ "Road to 26 draw to reveal riveting battles for Asian contenders". the-afc. Asian Football Confederation. 21 June 2024. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  5. ^ "Draw procedures for the AFC Preliminary Draw for the FIFA World Cup 26" (PDF). FIFA. 21 June 2024. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
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