Saudi, Qatar to host Asian playoffs for World Cup: AFC

Kuala Lumpur: Saudi Arabia and Qatar will host the Asian qualifying playoffs for the 2026 World Cup, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said Friday.

Six teams, the third and fourth-placed sides from the recent Asian qualifiers, namely Indonesia, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, will be divided into two groups of three teams.

They will battle each other in a centralised format from October 8 to 14, 2025, the AFC said in a statement. The group winners will secure the two remaining automatic berths at the World Cup. The draw for the next round is scheduled for July 17.

The runners-up from each group will play two matches on November 13 and 18, with the winners qualifying for the inter-confederation playoffs for the World Cup. Asian federations had requested that the Asian playoff matches be held on neutral ground.