Arab Teams Face Tough Tests in World Cup Qualifiers
The third round of the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is packed with intense matches, both this week and next.
Several teams have already demonstrated their superiority, including Japan, which faces two significant challenges: first against Saudi Arabia on Thursday and then against Australia on Tuesday. Japan has made a strong start, achieving impressive victories over China (7-0) and Bahrain (5-0).
In a key matchup in Group C, Saudi Arabia began the third round with a disappointing 1-1 draw against Indonesia, followed by a hard-fought 2-1 victory over China. The “Green” team will play under pressure against the “Samurai Blue” with their Italian coach, Roberto Mancini.
Mancini, who failed to guide the team past the Round of 16 in the last Asian Cup, notably did not include defender Ali Al-Bulaihi in the squad. Several other players will also be absent including midfielder Mohammed Kanoo, goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais, and forward Fahd Al-Muwallad, who suffered a serious injury in a fall after playing as a substitute against Indonesia and China.
If Japan overcomes its next two challenges, the four-time Asian champions will take a significant step toward securing their eighth consecutive World Cup appearance.
In the same group, Bahrain will host Indonesia, hoping to rebound from a painful home loss to Japan after a crucial opening win against Australia (1-0).
Australia will also host China in Adelaide, marking the first match for their new coach, Tony Popovic, who replaced Graham Arnold following a disappointing start that saw the team earn just one point against Bahrain and Indonesia.
Pressure on Asian Champions
In Group A, Qatar faces immense pressure ahead of their matches against Kyrgyzstan after a modest start.
The two-time Asian Cup champions lost to the UAE (1-3) and could only manage a draw (2-2) against North Korea, placing them fifth in Group C, five points behind the leaders, Uzbekistan and Iran, who have perfect records. Qatar needs to turn its fortunes around and improve its performance.
Defender Khouki Boualam returns after being absent since the last Asian Cup, alongside full-back Abdul Karim Hassan, who had been excluded by federation decision.
The UAE aims to make up for their previous loss to Iran (0-1) when they host North Korea in Al Ain.
Their Portuguese coach, Paulo Bento, has called up two new naturalized players, Brazilians Marcos Miloni and Bruno Oliveira, who have spent five years in the UAE league, along with Sudanese goalkeeper Adli Mohamed (Southampton), English player Mackenzie Hunt (Fleetwood), and Ivorian player Kwame Oton who were previously included in the squad for the matches against Qatar and Iran.
In the same group, Iran will visit Uzbekistan in a clash for the top spot after both teams won their first two matches.
Revenge Between South Korea and Jordan
A standout event features Jordan, the Asian runner-up, taking on South Korea. Jordan is seeking to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in their history, while South Korea aims to avenge their defeat to Jordan (0-2) in the Asian Cup semifinals and take the lead in Group B, where both teams currently sit with four points alongside Iraq.
Jordan drew with Kuwait (1-1) and then secured a victory against Palestine (3-1). In contrast, South Korea fell into a goalless draw at home against Palestine before bouncing back with a 3-1 win in Oman.
The Jordanian Football Association announced that all tickets for the match at Amman International Stadium, which has a capacity of nearly 17,000, sold out within 72 hours of being made available online.
South Korean captain and Tottenham Hotspur star Son Heung-min will miss the matches against Jordan and Iraq due to a hamstring injury. Meanwhile, Jordan’s stars Musa Al-Tamari (Montpellier) and Yazan Al-Naimat (Al-Arabi) are racing against time to recover from injuries sustained in matches against Kuwait and Palestine, respectively.
Palestine seeks its first victory to enhance their chances of qualifying for the World Cup when they face Iraq at home. Meanwhile, Oman, sitting at the bottom of the table with two losses, will host Kuwait in Muscat under their new coach, Rashid Jaber, who replaced coach Jaroslav Silhavy.
The third round of the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup features exciting matches, including Japan against Saudi Arabia and Australia. Teams like Saudi Arabia and South Korea are feeling the pressure as they try to secure their spots. For fans in Kuwait looking to add some fun to the games, Betway is the best online betting site, offering a safe and easy platform. Whether you’re betting on Japan or South Korea, Betway is the top choice for online betting in Kuwait.
