Qatar and Saudi Arabia to host fourth round of Asian qualifiers for 2026 World Cup

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has officially announced that Qatar and Saudi Arabia will host the fourth round of Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

This round will feature six teams that finished third and fourth in their respective groups in the third round of Asian qualifiers: Indonesia, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

These teams will be divided into two groups of three, competing in a centralised round-robin format from 8 to 14 October 2025.

The winners of each group will automatically qualify for the 2026 World Cup, completing Asia’s direct qualification spots.

Meanwhile, the runners-up in each group will face off in a two-legged playoff on 13 and 18 November 2025. The winner of that tie will advance to the intercontinental playoff, with one final chance to secure a spot at the World Cup.