Middle Eastern Host Nations Announced for Asian World Cup Preliminaries
Saudi Arabia and Qatar will host the fourth round of Asia's 2026 World Cup preliminaries in October, joined by Iraq, Oman, Indonesia, and the UAE. Teams will be split into groups for a chance to qualify for the 48-nation finals. Playoffs in November and March decide additional spots.
Saudi Arabia and Qatar have secured the hosting rights for the fourth round of the Asian World Cup preliminaries set to take place in October, the Asian Football Confederation announced on Friday. The selection comes as Iraq revealed an interest to host, having previously placed a bid.
The October event will see teams divided into two groups of three, with winners joining key players like Japan and Australia in the expanded 48-nation final. The Saudi and Qatari-hosted games will show who can progress to compete on the global stage.
Matches are scheduled between October 8 and 14, with runners-up facing a November playoff. Successful teams will then enter an intercontinental playoff in March, aiming for one of the two remaining World Cup spots.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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- Iraq
- Oman
- Indonesia
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