2026 FIFA World Cup Qualification – AFC Third Round
Format
The eighteen teams that advanced from the second round (nine group winners and nine group runners-up) were 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.
From the teams that advance to the fourth round, the two teams with the best results in this round also receive the right to host the fourth round groups.
Qualified teams
The following teams finished first or second in their respective second round groups:
Draw
The draw for the third round was held on 27 June 2024 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The seeding for the draw was based on the FIFA Men's World Rankings on 20 June 2024 (shown in parentheses below).
Each group contains one team from each of the six pots. The draw started with Pot 6 and concluded with Pot 1, with each team drawn being placed in the corresponding position sequentially in Group A, then B, then C.
| Pot 1 | Pot 2 | Pot 3 |
|---|---|---|
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| |
| Pot 4 | Pot 5 | Pot 6 |
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Schedule
The competition schedule is expected to be as follows:
| Matchday | Date | Matches |
|---|---|---|
| Matchday 1 | 5 September 2024 | 1 v 5, 2 v 4, 3 v 6 |
| Matchday 2 | 10 September 2024 | 4 v 1, 5 v 3, 6 v 2 |
| Matchday 3 | 10 October 2024 | 2 v 5, 3 v 1, 4 v 6 |
| Matchday 4 | 15 October 2024 | 1 v 2, 3 v 4, 5 v 6 |
| Matchday 5 | 14 November 2024 | 2 v 3, 4 v 5, 6 v 1 |
| Matchday 6 | 19 November 2024 | 5 v 1, 4 v 2, 6 v 3 |
| Matchday 7 | 20 March 2025 | 1 v 4, 3 v 5, 2 v 6 |
| Matchday 8 | 25 March 2025 | 5 v 2, 1 v 3, 6 v 4, |
| Matchday 9 | 5 June 2025 | 2 v 1, 4 v 3, 6 v 5 |
| Matchday 10 | 10 June 2025 | 3 v 2, 5 v 4, 1 v 6 |
Groups
Group A
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | 
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|
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iran
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2026 FIFA World Cup | — | 15 Oct | 25 Mar | 20 Mar | 5 Sep | 10 Jun | |
| 2 | Qatar
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 Jun | — | 14 Nov | 5 Sep | 10 Oct | 20 Mar | ||
| 3 | Uzbekistan
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Fourth round | 10 Oct | 10 Jun | — | 15 Oct | 20 Mar | 5 Sep | |
| 4 | United Arab Emirates
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 Sep | 19 Nov | 5 Jun | — | 14 Nov | 10 Oct | ||
| 5 | Kyrgyzstan
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 Nov | 25 Mar | 10 Sep | 10 Jun | — | 15 Oct | ||
| 6 | North Korea
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 Nov | 10 Sep | 19 Nov | 25 Mar | 5 Jun | — |
| North Korea | v | Qatar |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
| North Korea | v | Iran |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
Group B
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | 
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Korea
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2026 FIFA World Cup | — | 15 Oct | 25 Mar | 20 Mar | 5 Sep | 10 Jun | |
| 2 | Iraq
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 Jun | — | 14 Nov | 5 Sep | 10 Oct | 20 Mar | ||
| 3 | Jordan
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Fourth round | 10 Oct | 10 Jun | — | 15 Oct | 20 Mar | 5 Sep | |
| 4 | Oman
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 Sep | 19 Nov | 5 Jun | — | 14 Nov | 10 Oct | ||
| 5 | Palestine
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 Nov | 25 Mar | 10 Sep | 10 Jun | — | 15 Oct | ||
| 6 | Kuwait
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 Nov | 10 Sep | 19 Nov | 25 Mar | 5 Jun | — |
| Palestine | v | Jordan |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
Group C
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | 
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Japan
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2026 FIFA World Cup | — | 15 Oct | 25 Mar | 20 Mar | 5 Sep | 10 Jun | |
| 2 | Australia
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 Jun | — | 14 Nov | 5 Sep | 10 Oct | 20 Mar | ||
| 3 | Saudi Arabia
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Fourth round | 10 Oct | 10 Jun | — | 15 Oct | 20 Mar | 5 Sep | |
| 4 | Bahrain
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 Sep | 19 Nov | 5 Jun | — | 14 Nov | 10 Oct | ||
| 5 | China
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 Nov | 25 Mar | 10 Sep | 10 Jun | — | 15 Oct | ||
| 6 | Indonesia
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 Nov | 10 Sep | 19 Nov | 25 Mar | 5 Jun | — |
Notes
- ^ Palestine play all their home matches at a neutral venue until further notice, due to the ongoing Israel–Hamas war.
References
- ^ "AFC Competitions Calendar (Jul 2024 – Jun 2025)" (PDF). Asian Football Confederation. 15 May 2024. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
- ^ "Asia's pathway to the FIFA World Cup 2026 and AFC Asian Cup 2027 confirmed". Asian Football Confederation. 1 August 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
- ^ "AFC Competitions Committee approves key decisions on reformatted competitions". the-AFC. Asian Football Confederation. 1 July 2023. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
- ^ "Third round cast finalised". the-AFC.com. Asian Football Confederation. 12 June 2024. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
- ^ "Road to 26 draw to reveal riveting battles for Asian contenders". the-AFC.com. Asian Football Confederation. 21 June 2024. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
- ^ "Draw procedures for the AFC Preliminary Draw for the FIFA World Cup 26" (PDF). FIFA. 21 June 2024. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
- ^ "Road to 26 - Draw Results & Match Schedule" (PDF). the-AFC.com. Asian Football Confederation. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
- ^ "Malaysia to host Palestine vs Jordan World Cup Qualifier match". The Sun. 8 August 2024. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ "Subway Socceroos to play China PR at Adelaide Oval". socceroos.com.au. 19 July 2024.