Japan and Iran secure World Cup spots; Saudi Arabia, UAE still in contention.
- Ayda Salem
- Mar 27
- 4 min read
March 27, 2025 – The third phase of Asian qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup progressed this past week, with each competing nation playing two additional matches as they strive for a place in the tournament. With just two fixtures remaining, the competition for a spot in the World Cup, set to take place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, has intensified.
The latest round of matches provided excitement and drama, as Japan became the first team outside of the host nations to officially qualify, followed closely by Iran. Meanwhile, the UAE kept its hopes alive for a first World Cup appearance since 1990 with a late victory, while Saudi Arabia secured four points across two matches to maintain its pursuit of automatic qualification.
Here, Al Arabiya English recaps the key highlights from the latest FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Group A: Iran Clinches Qualification, UAE Stays in the Race
Iran secured its fourth consecutive World Cup appearance after Mehdi Taremi netted twice, including a late equalizer in the 83rd minute, to earn a 2-2 draw against Uzbekistan in Tehran. Five days earlier, a 2-0 triumph over the UAE had placed Iran in a commanding position to advance, and the point against Uzbekistan ensured Amir Ghalenoei’s squad a top-two finish. The three-time continental champions remain in contention for first place in Group A and still have a crucial match against Qatar in June, which could determine Qatar’s fate.
Uzbekistan moved a step closer to a historic first FIFA World Cup qualification following its 1-0 win against Kyrgyzstan and the hard-fought draw in Tehran. The team, which has never managed to reach the tournament despite multiple attempts, now faces a crucial encounter against the UAE in Abu Dhabi—its only remaining challenger for a place at the World Cup.
The UAE preserved its qualification hopes by bouncing back from its defeat to Iran with a vital 2-1 victory over North Korea. Al Wasl’s Fabio Lima opened the scoring for Paulo Bento’s side before Kim Yu-song equalized unexpectedly. However, deep into stoppage time, substitute Sultan Adil secured a dramatic win with a goal in the eighth minute of added time. This result means the UAE heads into its decisive fixture against Uzbekistan in June with an outside chance of securing second place.
Meanwhile, Qatar is now officially out of contention for a runner-up finish. Despite winning consecutive AFC Asian Cup titles, the team has struggled in this qualification phase and risks failing to reach the World Cup through merit. A stunning 3-1 defeat to Kyrgyzstan—sealed by late goals from Aleksandr Mischenko and Alimardon Shukurov—has left Qatar needing to hold off Kyrgyzstan, which remains four points behind, in the final two matches to advance to the next round of qualifying.
Group B: Palestine’s Historic Upset, Jordan Gains Ground
Palestine’s hopes of making a first-ever FIFA World Cup appearance remain alive after a stunning 2-1 victory over Iraq in Amman on Tuesday night. Against the backdrop of Israel’s ongoing bombardment of Gaza, the Palestinian squad pulled off one of its most remarkable results, fighting back from the brink of elimination. Iraq, which had previously salvaged a last-gasp 2-2 draw against Kuwait, this time fell victim to a late collapse.
Ayman Hussein gave Iraq an early lead, but as the match neared its end, Wessam Abou Ali leveled in the 88th minute before center-back Ameed Mahajna sealed a dramatic winner in the 97th minute. Palestine now faces bottom-placed Kuwait before a potential decisive final clash with Oman, with progression to the next round at stake.
For Iraq, the defeat represents a major setback in its pursuit of a first World Cup berth since 1986. Up next for Jesus Casas’ squad is a crucial showdown with Group B leader South Korea, followed by a pivotal contest against neighboring Jordan, its direct rival for second place.
Jordan capitalized on Iraq’s stumble, climbing to second place after collecting four points from two matches. Jamal Sellami’s side first claimed a 3-1 victory over Palestine before holding South Korea to an impressive 1-1 draw away. Last year’s AFC Asian Cup runners-up now sit just three points behind South Korea, which unexpectedly drew both its home fixtures against Oman and Jordan.
With Oman also securing a win over Kuwait, the battle for qualification in Group B remains tightly contested. Any of the top four teams—South Korea, Jordan, Iraq, and Oman—could still secure direct entry into the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Group C: Japan Secures Its Spot, Saudi Arabia Remains in Contention
Japan became the first team outside the host nations to book its place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, cruising to a 2-0 win over Bahrain. Goals from Daichi Kamada and Take Kubo in Saitama ensured the Blue Samurai secured an unassailable seven-point lead at the top of Group C. While Japan’s qualification is sealed, the contest for the second automatic spot remains intense.
Saudi Arabia collected four points from its two matches to stay in the race, though Australia currently holds second place. The Socceroos strengthened their position with two victories—thrashing Indonesia 5-1 before securing a 2-0 win over China—opening up a three-point advantage over the Green Falcons.
Saudi Arabia, which edged out China in Riyadh before earning a hard-fought 0-0 draw away to Japan, now awaits a crucial encounter against Bahrain. Meanwhile, Australia faces Japan in June, a match that could have major implications for the standings. If Saudi Arabia triumphs over Bahrain, a decisive showdown against Australia in the Kingdom could determine who secures the second automatic qualification spot.
China, meanwhile, faces the looming prospect of missing out on another World Cup, having qualified only once before in 2002. With two defeats in this round, it now sits level on points with Bahrain, which must win at least one of its remaining matches—against either Saudi Arabia or China—to advance. Bahrain’s task was made harder following a 1-0 loss to Indonesia on Tuesday. Indonesia, which last appeared in the World Cup nearly 90 years ago, remains in contention after Ole Romeny’s goal in front of 70,000 spectators at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium kept its hopes alive. A win over China in June would see Indonesia progress to the next round of qualifying.