The third round of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Asian Qualifiers gets underway on Wednesday, September 5th. The competition, which will see the quadrennial event hosted jointly by the USA, Canada, and Mexico in less than two years, promises exciting matches and intense competition.
India, who narrowly missed out on the previous World Cup after a disappointing 1-2 loss to Qatar in the second round, will not be participating in this round. However, 18 other teams are battling for a place in the 2026 World Cup. These teams have been divided into three groups of six, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the tournament. The third and fourth placed teams will then progress to the fourth round of qualifiers.
Group A features Qatar, the 2022 FIFA World Cup host nation, alongside strong contenders like Uzbekistan and Iran. Group B boasts South Korea, a team that reached the Round of 16 in the previous World Cup, along with Iraq and Oman. In Group C, the fierce competition includes Australia, Japan, and Saudi Arabia.
The first matchday on September 5th presents a feast of footballing action:
September 5th (All times are in IST):
*
Group C:
Australia vs Bahrain (3:40 pm)*
Group C:
Japan vs China (4:05 pm)*
Group B:
South Korea vs Palestine (4:30 pm)*
Group A:
Uzbekistan vs North Korea (7:30 pm)*
Group A:
Iran vs Kyrgyzstan (9:30 pm)*
Group B:
Iraq vs Oman (9:30 pm)*
Group A:
Qatar vs UAE (9:30 pm)*
Group B:
Jordan vs Kuwait (11:30 pm)*
Group C:
Saudi Arabia vs Indonesia (11:30 pm)With a host of high-stakes matches, the first matchday of the Asian Qualifiers is set to ignite passion among football fans. These crucial early encounters will provide insights into the potential contenders and create an exciting landscape for the road to the FIFA World Cup 2026.
