United Arab Emirates to recommence 2026 World Cup qualifying matches against Qatar and Oman
The fourth round of the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is approaching, and the competition is heating up. Group B, composed of the third and fourth place finishers from the third round, will see the UAE, Qatar, and Oman go head-to-head in a mini-tournament hosted by Qatar.
The matches, to be played at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha, will take place over three consecutive days: October 8, 11, and 14. The tournament will follow a single round-robin format, with each team playing against the other two.
On October 8, Qatar will face Oman, followed by a clash between UAE and Oman on October 11. The final match will see Qatar take on UAE on October 14. The winner of this group will secure a direct spot at the World Cup, which will be held across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Meanwhile, Group A will be hosted by Saudi Arabia at the King Abdullah Sport City Stadium in Jeddah. The teams in this group are Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Indonesia, with the same match schedule as Group B.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has implemented a centralized "Road to 26" playoff phase for finalizing their representatives at the expanded tournament. The winner of each group in the fourth round will join Australia, Japan, South Korea, Uzbekistan, Iran, Jordan, and potentially one more side at the 2026 World Cup finals.
The nations finishing in second place in each group will advance to a fifth round, a two-legged knockout stage held in November. The winner of this round will proceed to the FIFA Intercontinental Playoff Tournament, offering a final opportunity to qualify for the 48-nation World Cup.
Six teams have already secured their spots: Australia, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Iran, and Uzbekistan. The UAE, however, failed to make the cut in the previous round and had to qualify for the final round of the qualification process. Despite a draw against Uzbekistan in a crucial third-round qualifier in June, UAE forward Caio Canedo remains confident in qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.
UAE coach Olaroiu has emphasized the importance of discipline, stating that players representing the national team must understand the responsibility they carry. Two key players, Khaled Al Dhanhani and Sultan Adil, were banned from domestic football for five matches for an unspecified "violation" ahead of the final match of the third round of Asian qualifying.
As the competition intensifies, all eyes will be on the UAE, Qatar, and Oman as they strive for a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
- The fourth round of Asia's qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is drawing near, with Group B, comprising the UAE, Qatar, and Oman, set to battle it out in Qatar.
- The morning of October 8 will witness Qatar facing Oman in the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha, marking the opening match of the Group B tournament.
- The subsequent day, October 11, will see a contest between Oman and UAE, while the closing match on October 14 will pit Qatar against UAE.
- Group A will be held in Saudi Arabia at the King Abdullah Sport City Stadium in Jeddah, with Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Indonesia competing.
- Iran, Jordan, South Korea, Uzbekistan, and Japan have secured spots for the 2026 World Cup, while the UAE narrowly missed the cut in the previous round and must qualify for the final stage of the competition.
- Despite a draw against Uzbekistan in a critical third-round qualifier, UAE forward Caio Canedo maintains optimism about the team's chances of making it to the 2026 World Cup.
- Ahead of the final match of the third round of Asian qualifying, key players Khaled Al Dhanhani and Sultan Adil were suspended from domestic football for five matches due to an unspecified violation.
