Exciting Draw Sets Stage for Asia’s Final Qualifying Round for 2026 World Cup
The fourth round draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian qualifiers took place at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur on July 17, 2025. Indonesia was placed in Group B alongside Saudi Arabia and Iraq, with Saudi Arabia hosting all group matches in a centralized venue. The competition format is a single round-robin, meaning each team will only play two matches, making every game critical and leaving little room for error.
This final qualification round features six teams divided into two groups of three. The group winners will secure direct entry to the 2026 World Cup, to be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Meanwhile, the second-placed teams in each group will move on to a playoff stage within the Asian zone, keeping their hopes alive but facing a tougher path to qualification.
Teams were seeded based on their FIFA rankings, with Qatar and Saudi Arabia leading as hosts, followed by Iraq and the UAE, and finally Oman and Indonesia as lower-ranked teams. Indonesia, with the lowest ranking, enters as the clear underdog. The centralized neutral venue and limited matches highlight the importance of mental resilience and adaptability under pressure.
Group A features Qatar, UAE, and Oman, while Group B includes Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Indonesia. The matches are scheduled from early to mid-October 2025, with crucial clashes determining which teams will advance directly and which will face the additional playoff challenge. This high-stakes format promises intense competition and dramatic moments for Asian football fans.
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