Saudi Arabia to Face Iraq and Indonesia in Final Round of World Cup Qualifiers

Saudi Arabia have been drawn against Iraq and Indonesia in the fourth and final round of direct Asian qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The draw, held in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, also placed back-to-back Asian Cup champions Qatar in a group with the United Arab Emirates and Oman.

The six nations are competing for the final two automatic qualification spots from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) for next year’s expanded 48-team finals in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

The matches will be played in a round-robin format at centralized venues in October. Saudi Arabia will host Group B, opening against Indonesia on October 8 before facing Iraq on October 14. Group A, featuring Qatar, the UAE, and Oman, will be hosted by Qatar.

The winners of each three-team group will secure a direct berth to the World Cup, joining the six Asian nations that have already qualified: Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, and Uzbekistan.

The two teams that finish second in each group will not be eliminated. They will advance to a two-legged playoff in November, with the winner progressing to an intercontinental playoff in March 2026 for one last chance to qualify.

Saudi Arabia are aiming to reach their seventh World Cup finals, while Qatar are seeking to qualify on merit for the first time after making their debut as hosts in 2022.