Premier League stars Heung-min Son, Kaoru Mitoma, Saman Ghoddos will navigate their 2026 FIFA World Cup aspirations over the next three years
The journey to the 2026 World Cup in Asia involves multiple stages, with the AFC set to allocate eight teams directly and a ninth team competing in inter-confederation playoffs.
Notably, Africa and Europe will surpass Asia in team representation. Premier League stars like Heung-min Son, Kaoru Mitoma, and Saman Ghoddos will navigate their World Cup aspirations over the next three years.
The qualification unfolds in stages:
1. First Round (Oct. 11-17, 2023): 20 teams in a home-and-away format.
2. Second Round (Nov. 2023 – June 2024): 36 teams in nine groups; top two from each advance.
3. Third Round (begins Sept. 2024): 18 teams in three groups; the top two qualify, and others to the fourth round.
4. Fourth Round (begins Oct. 2025): Six teams in two groups; group winners qualify, second-place teams to the fifth round.
5. Fifth Round (November 2025): Two teams; winner advances to inter-confederation playoffs.
Schedule — First-round fixtures, results
October 11
Afghanistan 1-0 Mongolia
Maldives 1-1 Bangladesh
Singapore 2-1 Guam
Yemen 3-0 Sri Lanka
Myanmar 5-1 Macau
Cambodia 0-0 Pakistan
Chinese Taipei 4-0 Timor-Leste
Indonesia 6-0 Brunei
Hong Kong 4-0 Bhutan
Nepal 1-1 Laos
October 17
Mongolia 0-1 (0-2 agg) Afghanistan
Bangladesh 2-1 (3-2 agg) Maldives
Guam 0-1 (1-3 agg) Singapore
Sri Lanka 1-1 (1-4 agg) Yemen
Macau 0-0 (1-5 agg) Myanmar
Pakistan 1-0 (1-0 agg) Cambodia
Timor-Leste 0-3 (0-7 agg) Chinese Taipei
Brunei 0-6 (0-12 agg) Indonesia
Bhutan 2-0 (2-4 agg) Hong Kong
Laos 0-1 (1-2 agg) Nepal
Asian (AFC) 2026 World Cup qualification schedule — Second round
November 16
Australia vs Bangladesh — 4am ET
Japan vs Myanmar — 5:02 am ET
South Korea vs Singapore — 6am ET
Philippines vs Vietnam — 6am ET
Thailand vs China — 7:30am ET
Malaysia vs Kyrgyzstan — 8am ET
Tajikistan vs Jordan — 8am ET
Turkmenistan vs Uzbekistan — 9am ET
Lebanon vs Palestine — 9am ET
Iran vs Hong Kong — 9:30am ET
Iraq vs Indonesia — 9:45am ET
Oman vs Chinese Taipei — 10am ET
UAE vs Nepal — 10:45 am ET
Qatar vs Afghanistan — 10:45am ET
Saudi Arabia vs Pakistan — 11:30am ET
Kuwait vs India — 11:30am ET
Syria vs North Korea — Noon ET
Yemen vs Bahrain — 1pm ET
November 21
Pakistan vs Tajikistan — 4am ET
Myanmar vs North Korea — 4:30am ET
Philippines vs Indonesia — 6am ET
Chinese Taipei vs Malaysia — 6am ET
Bangladesh vs Lebanon — 6:45am ET
Singapore vs Thailand — 7am ET
Vietnam vs Iraq — 7am ET
China vs South Korea — 7am ET
Hong Kong vs Turkmenistan — 7am ET
Uzbekistan vs Iran — 8am ET
Nepal vs Yemen — 8:15am ET
India vs Qatar — 8:30am ET
Palestine vs Australia — 9am ET
Kyrgyzstan vs Oman — 9am ET
Syria vs Japan — 9:45am ET
Bahrain vs UAE — 10:45am ET
Jordan vs Saudi Arabia — 11am ET
Afghanistan vs Kuwait — Noon ET
Second round groups
Group A
Qatar
India
Kuwait
Afghanistan
Group B
Japan
Syria
North Korea
Myanmar
Group C
South Korea
China
Thailand
Singapore
Group D
Oman
Kyrgyzstan
Malaysia
Chinese Taipei
Group E
Iran
Uzbekistan
Turkmenistan
Hong Kong
Group F
Iraq
Vietnam
Philippines
Indonesia
Group G
Saudi Arabia
Jordan
Tajikistan
Pakistan
Group H
United Arab Emirates
Bahrain
Yemen or Sri Lanka
Nepal
Group I
Australia
Palestine
Lebanon
Bangladesh
