KUALA LUMPUR, 13th June, 2025 (WAM) -- The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has confirmed that the Qatar Football Association and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation will host the Asian playoff matches as part of the qualification process for the FIFA World Cup 2026, under the campaign “AFC Asian Qualifiers - Road to 26”.
The playoff matches will take place in a centralised format from 8th to 14th October 2025, featuring six national teams that finished third and fourth in their respective groups during the previous qualification phase. The participating teams are the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Iraq, and Indonesia.
The teams will be split into two groups of three. The winner of each group will directly qualify for the FIFA World Cup 2026.
The runners-up from both groups will face off in a two-legged playoff match on 13th and 18th November 2025 to determine which team will advance to the intercontinental playoff stage for another chance at World Cup qualification.
The draw for the AFC playoff round is scheduled for 17th July 2025.