Qatar and Saudi Arabia will host the upcoming AFC Asian Qualifier Road to 26 playoffs, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has confirmed.
The six teams – Indonesia, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates – will participate in the playoffs. These teams finished third and fourth in their previous qualifying groups.
The teams will be divided into two groups of three. The matches will be played at one venue (in a centralized format) from 8 to 14 October 2025. The top team from each group will automatically qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The second-placed teams from each group will play each other in a two-legged tie on 13 and 18 November 2025. The winner will advance to the FIFA play-off tournament for another chance to qualify for the World Cup. The official draw to determine the groups will take place on 17 July 2025.
