Australia has copped a brutal group for the next stage of 2026 World Cup qualifying.
The Socceroos will need to finish above at least one of Japan or Saudi Arabia to guarantee a spot in the USA, Canada and Mexico for the tournament.
It’s a repeat of 2022 qualifying when Australia finished third in a group with both of those nations, having to advance through the interconfederation playoff instead, which went down to a penalty shootout.
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Graham Arnold’s side will also face Bahrain, China and Indonesia as the three lower-seeded nations in the third round of AFC qualifying.
Japan, Saudi Arabia and China were the most difficult nations the Aussies could have drawn from their pots. In particular the Saudis were the clear threat in a pot also including Uzbekistan and Jordan.
The top two teams in each six-team group will directly advance into the World Cup.
The third and fourth-placed teams in each group will move into a fourth round, where two more teams will qualify, followed by a fifth round for a spot in the intercontinental playoff.
This means it would take an absolute disaster for Australia to miss qualification altogether, but their chances of advancing out of this third round would have been higher in either of the two other groups.
“It’s nice to have a clear understanding of what’s ahead of us over the next 12 months. We’ve spent the last few months looking at various scenarios on what our path might look like, which will now help accelerate our planning,” Socceroos coach Graham Arnold said.
“With that detail now in front of us to prepare, our sole focus is to qualify directly by this time next year.
“We knew this round of qualifying would present challenges however the draw panned out, particularly given the way the game is growing across the confederation. I feel it’s important we embrace those challenges; with our mindset, belief and camaraderie integral to achieve our goal of qualification.
“We’ve put a lot of work into developing this group of players, and the next 12-months is an opportunity for them to showcase their qualities as international footballers at a crucial point in our journey to another FIFA World Cup.
“I can’t speak highly enough of this playing group and their commitment during the campaign so far, and I’ve got no doubt they will bring more of the same in Round Three.”
In total eight teams are guaranteed qualification from Asia, plus a possible ninth via the intercontinental playoff.
The Socceroos will open against Bahrain at home on September 5, hoping to clinch a spot in the World Cup before the final games against Japan (home, June 5) and Saudi Arabia (away, June 10).
GROUPS
Group A: Iran, Qatar, Uzbekistan, UAE, Kyrgyzstan, North Korea
Group B: South Korea, Iraq, Jordan, Oman, Palestine, Kuwait
Group C: Japan, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, China, Indonesia
POTS FOR AFC WORLD CUP QUALIFYING THIRD ROUND
One team from each pot placed in each group
Pot 1: Japan (FIFA ranking 17), Iran (20), South Korea (22)
Pot 2: Australia (23), Qatar (35), Iraq (55)
Pot 3: Saudi Arabia (56), Uzbekistan (62), Jordan (68)
Pot 4: UAE (69), Oman (76), Bahrain (81)
Pot 5: China (88), Palestine (95), Kyrgyzstan (101)
Pot 6: North Korea (110), Indonesia (134), Kuwait (137)
SOCCEROOS WORLD CUP QUALIFYING SCHEDULE
Venues and times TBC, home team first
Socceroos v Bahrain – Thursday, 5 September
Indonesia v Socceroos – Tuesday, 10 September
Socceroos v China PR – Thursday, 10 October
Japan v Socceroos – Tuesday, 15 October
Socceroos v Saudi Arabia – Thursday, 14 November
Bahrain v Socceroos – Tuesday, 19 November
Socceroos v Indonesia – Thursday, 20 March
China PR v Socceroos – Tuesday, 25 March
Socceroos v Japan – Thursday, 5 June
Saudi Arabia v Socceroos – Tuesday, 10 June