Uzbekistan and Jordan have qualified for the FIFA World Cup for the first time in their respective histories, while South Korea also confirmed their place in the expanded 48-team tournament set to be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico in 2026.
The trio of Asian nations secured their spots on Thursday, becoming the eighth, ninth, and tenth teams to qualify. They join the three host nations, along with previously qualified Japan, New Zealand, Iran, and Argentina.
Uzbekistan’s historic qualification was sealed with a hard-fought 0-0 draw against the United Arab Emirates in Abu Dhabi. The single point was enough to guarantee them at least a second-place finish in their third-round qualifying group. For a nation that played its first match in 1992 after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, this marks the culmination of a long-held dream. The closest the Uzbeks, ranked 57th in the world, had previously come was in a controversial 2006 playoff. After winning the first leg 1-0 against Bahrain, a refereeing error led FIFA to order a replay of the match, which Uzbekistan ultimately lost on away goals.
Later on Thursday, Jordan, the runners-up at the most recent AFC Asian Cup, defeated Oman 3-0. That result, combined with South Korea’s 2-0 victory over Iraq, ensured Jordan would also create their own piece of history. Ranked 62nd in the world, Jordan’s national team had previously fallen at the final hurdle in their 2014 campaign, losing an intercontinental playoff to Uruguay.
South Korea’s victory in Iraq confirmed their 11th consecutive appearance at the World Cup finals, continuing their long-standing status as one of Asia’s most dominant footballing nations.
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