(MENAFN- The Peninsula)
Fawad Hussain
|
The Peninsula
Doha: The crucial third round of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Asian Qualifiers gets underway tomorrow with 18 nations looking to seal their spots in the football showpiece.
The teams, which advanced from the second round, are divided into three groups and they would continue to fight for six available berths in the round until June 2025 on a home-and-away basis.
The winners and runners-up from each of the three groups will secure automatic qualification while sides that will finish third and fourth in the round-robin format, will advance to the fourth round where two more spots will be up for grabs.
The runners from the fourth round will then square off to determine Asia's representative at the FIFA Intercontinental Play-off Tournament. The FIFA World Cup 2026 to be staged in Canada, Mexico, and the United States will feature 48 nations for the first time.
Exciting clashes in tricky groups
Asia's second top ranked side with 20th place in the FIFA rankings, Iran are favourites to earn direct qualification along with two-time Asian champions Qatar – placed 34th in FIFA computer – from Group A.
But the task could be tricky for the two sides in presence of talented Uzbekistan, Paulo Bento's United Arab Emirates and North Korea, who are bidding to make their third World Cup appearance.
New-comers Kyrgyzstan are aiming to cause more surprises in the group after clearing the second round of Asian Qualifiers for the first time.
Their coach Maksim Lisitsyn said his players are excited ahead of the third round in which they want to make more history.
“Together with the whole team, we are waiting for the third round. I think we will gain a lot of new emotions which I hope will be a positive one,” Lisitsyn told the AFC, adding his team will target points in each game despite being tied among the fancied teams.
“From the outset, it's 10 games against Asia's top teams. Usually, we can look at it as an opportunity for development to the team and the players. We understand that we will play very good teams and we have our targets but overall our ambition is to try to get points in every single game,” he said.
South Korea players take part in a training session ahead of tomorrow's Group B match against Palestine. PIC: KFA
Eyeing their 11th World Cup outing, South Korea look set to secure a top two finish from Group B which also includes Iraq, Jordan, Oman, Palestine and Kuwait.
The new-look format of the third round where top two finishers from each group are guaranteed places has consolidated Iraq's chances of returning to the global stage since making their debut in 1986.
Palestine are also hopeful to book their maiden World Cup seat after making Asian Cup history earlier this year in Qatar by reaching the knockout stage of the continental event for the first time.
“Our target is to confirm the distinguished level that we showed during the second round of the Asian qualifiers as well as the 2023 AFC Asian Cup finals,” their head coach head coach Makram Daboub told the AFC.
If there has to be a 'Group of Death' at this stage of Asian Qualifiers it has to be Group C where World No.18 Japan, Australia and Saudi Arabia are placed together for the third straight time. The Asian heavyweights will be joined by Bahrain, China and Indonesia making it a most exciting group.
Asian Qualifiers: Third Round Groups
Group A: Iran, Qatar, Uzbekistan, United Arab Emirates, Kyrgyzstan, North Korea
Group B: South Korea, Iraq, Jordan, Oman, Palestine, Kuwait
Group C: Japan, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, China, Indonesia
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