Betting company 1xBet discusses key events so far in World Cup qualification in Asia this month.
Saudi Arabia and Qatar lagging behind
In group A, Iran and Uzbekistan have solidified their positions. Both teams have gained 10 points from their opening four games and are now sharing first place. Their H2H match, held on 10 October, ended 0-0 but both nations have won the rest of the games in the group.
Iran is aiming to make it to the World Cup for the fourth consecutive time, while Uzbekistan is hoping to make its World Cup debut under coach Srečko Katanec, who has previously enjoyed considerable success with Slovenia.
While Iran and Uzbekistan are looking strong, Asian Cup champions Qatar sit six points behind the group leaders in their World Cup qualification campaign and were recently crushed 4-1 by Iran.
In group C, October saw the position of Saudi Arabia worsen, falling 2-0 to Japan at home and then failing to beat Bahrain in a scoreless draw. Roberto Mancini has been the Green Falcons’ coach for more than a year, but he has so far failed to impress: after four matches, Saudi Arabia has five points and is sharing second place in the group with Australia and Bahrain. Clearly the presence of a high-profile European coach doesn’t guarantee results.
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It’s worth mentioning that Saudi Arabia has a worse goal difference than Australia. After a poor start in the third round in September, Graham Arnold stepped down as Socceroos coach, replaced by Tony Popovic. Under his guidance, the Australians defeated China 3-1 and became the first team in group C to take points from Japan in a 1-1 away draw. Nonetheless, Japan’s lead in the group is indisputable after four games: the Blue Samurai has 10 points with a 15-1 for-and-against difference and looks certain to reach an eighth consecutive World Cup.
South Korean stars Son Heung-min and Hwang Hee-chan missed their nation’s October games but the Group B favorites still beat Jordan 2-0 and Iraq 3-2, securing their lead with 10 points. The Tigers of Asia have taken important steps to qualify for their 11th World Cup in a row. The main contenders for the second ticket to the Mundial are Jordan and Iraq, who have seven points each. As you may remember, the Jordan national team played in the 2023 AFC Asian Cup final and dreams of going to the World Cup for the first time.
New opportunities for Asia
At the 2026 World Cup, the AFC zone will have eight direct slots for the first time. These will include:
- The six teams finishing 1st and 2nd in their groups will automatically qualify
- Two more teams will win their way through via a qualification round
- An inter-confederation play-off could see a ninth team from Asia progress
Asia is the most populated continent on the planet and football is the No.1 sport in many countries. The World Cup qualifying matches are traditionally watched by billions of fans in the region, and FIFA has decided to reward Asia with a significant representation at the 2026 World Cup given the new format and increased number of spots available.
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