Doha, Qatar: Asian champions Qatar will start their campaign in second round of the FIFA World Cup 2026 and AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 Preliminary Joint Qualification with a match against Afghanistan on November 16.
Afghanistan joined Group A after defeating Mongolia 1-0 in the first round on Tuesday as 10 teams advanced in the competition.
Qatar, who finished runners-up in the Jordan International Quad Championship after losing to Iran in the final on Tuesday, will also face India and Kuwait in the group. Following their opening match against Afghanistan, Qatar will take on India on November 21.
The joint qualification will resume after the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 which will be held from January 12 to February 10, 2024 with Carlos Queiroz’s side scheduled to meet Kuwait on March 21, 2024.
They will play their GCC opponents again in the return leg on March 26 while their second match against Afghanistan is set for June 6, before the game against India five days later.
A total of 36 teams divided into nine groups will be seen in action in the second round. All nine group winners and the respective runners-up will advance to the third round of World Cup qualifying, and at the same time seal their places at the 2027 Asian Cup.
The draw for the third round of the global showpiece in 2026 will be conducted in 2024, where the 18 teams will be divided into three groups of six; the top two from each group will qualify directly for the FIFA World Cup 2026.
