Saudi Arabia set to face off against Indonesia and Iraq in the qualifying rounds.
**Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and More Battle for World Cup Spots in Asia**
The race for spots in the 2026 FIFA World Cup is heating up, with the fourth round of Asian qualifiers set to commence in October 2025. This round, also known as the playoffs, will feature six teams: Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq, Indonesia, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates.
The competition will take place over two centralised venues, with Saudi Arabia hosting Group A and Qatar hosting Group B. Each group consists of three teams, and they will play round-robin matches during the qualifiers, which will take place on October 8, 11, and 14, 2025.
In Group A, Saudi Arabia will kick off their campaign against Indonesia on October 8, followed by matches against Iraq on October 11 and 14. Group B will see Qatar face Oman on the same date, with the United Arab Emirates taking on Oman on October 11, and Qatar and the UAE squaring off on October 14.
The winners of each group will secure a place in the 2026 World Cup, while the runners-up will advance to a fifth round playoff in November 2025. Asia has eight guaranteed spots in the World Cup finals, with a possible ninth available via an intercontinental playoff in March 2026.
Notably, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Uzbekistan, Iran, and Jordan have already secured their spots following earlier qualifying rounds.
The playoff format and hosting selection, with Qatar and Saudi Arabia hosting the groups, has drawn criticism from some teams, including Indonesia, Iraq, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates, who have raised concerns over competitive advantage.
Saudi Arabia is aiming to qualify for its seventh World Cup finals since 1994, while Group B hosts Qatar, who have never qualified for the World Cup finals. If successful, both teams will join the expanded 48-nation finals of the World Cup, which will be held in the US, Canada, and Mexico.
For updates on the current group standings, match results, and upcoming matches, please stay tuned.
Football has been at the center of discussions in the European-leagues, as Saudi Arabia and Qatar, two countries in the race for spots in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, will be hosting Group A and Group B respectively in the playoffs. In Group A, Saudi Arabia will compete alongside Iraq and Indonesia, while Group B will consist of Qatar, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates. The Premier League excitement is not limited to Europe as these teams battle it out for a chance to represent Asia in the World Cup finals.
