As August 2022 winds down, AFC has officially unveiled the 2026
World Cup
Asian qualifiers and 2027
Asian cup (e.g. soccer)
A new format for the qualifiers, a change that makes the original 4.5
World Cup
The number of places (including four through places and one intercontinental play-off place) has surged to 8.5.
2026 under the new tournament system
World Cup
The third stage of the Asian qualifiers will be upgraded from the previous 10-team and 12-team tournaments to an 18-team tournament, where the 18 teams will be divided into three groups of six teams each for a double round-robin home-and-away competition, with the top two teams from each group (totaling six teams) advancing directly to the next stage of the tournament. The third and fourth place finishers in each group (6 teams in total) will be divided into two groups of three teams each, playing a single round robin, with the first place finishers in each group advancing directly, and the second place finishers in each group playing a play-off game, with the winners representing Asia!
World Cup
Intercontinental play-offs for the last 0.5 promotion places.
The announcement instantly sparked a conversation about
national soccer team
Shocking the next
World Cup
The prospects are hotly debated. Theoretically, the increase in the number of places undoubtedly provides
national soccer team
More opportunities are available. However, the key to capitalizing on these opportunities is also to
national soccer team
Self-improvement. Looking back at this year's Qatar
World Cup
Asian Zone 12 Rankings.
national soccer team
placed fifth in the group and between ninth and tenth overall, despite the increase in the number of places to 8.5 for the next qualifying tournament.
national soccer team
There is still work to be done.
at the present time
national soccer team
The world rankings bode well for the 2026
World Cup
It will begin with the mid-stage qualifiers. This phase of the qualifiers is divided into nine groups of four teams each. The FIFA rankings will be an important basis for the slotting draw, so for the
national soccer team
For that matter, it is crucial to improve the FIFA ranking to the top nine in Asia and secure a favorable signing. To this end, the
national soccer team
Need to go all out in the next international tournaments to get more national team points.
