The race for qualification to the 2026 FIFA World Cup is heating up as top Asian sides resume their journey in this international break to get to the showpiece tournament
The third round of the AFC qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup resumes again with the seventh and eighth rounds of games scheduled. Earlier, a total of 18 teams advanced from the second round—comprising nine group winners and nine group runners-up—who were then divided into three groups of six teams each. (More Football News)
In Group C, Japan lead the standings with five wins and one draw from six matches, while Australia occupies second place with one win, four draws, and a single loss. Indonesia and Saudi Arabia are positioned third and fourth, respectively, having each secured one victory. Bahrain sits just ahead of China, who find themselves at the bottom of the table.
Here is all you need to know about the FIFA World Cup 2026, AFC Qualifying, 3rd Round:
Japan
Australia
Indonesia
Saudi Arabia
Bahrain
China
These teams will compete in a home-and-away format, with the top two teams from each group earning direct qualification to the 2026 World Cup. Meanwhile, the third and fourth-placed teams will move on to the fourth round, where they will continue their battle for a potential spot in the tournament.
Thursday, March 20, 2025:
8:10 PM (1:40 PM IST) | Australia 5-1 Indonesia | Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney
7:35 PM (4:05 PM IST) | Japan 2-0 Bahrain | Saitama Stadium 2002, Saitama
9:15 PM (11:45 PM IST) | Saudi Arabia 1-0 China | King Saud University Stadium, Riyadh
Tuesday, March 25, 2025:
7:35 PM (4:05 PM IST) | Japan vs Saudi Arabia | Saitama Stadium 2002, Saitama
7:00 PM (4:30 PM IST) | China vs Australia | Hangzhou Sports Park Stadium, Hangzhou
8:45 PM (7:15 PM IST) | Indonesia vs Bahrain | Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, Jakarta
All the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC third-round matches will be live streamed on the FanCode app and website in India.