The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) draw in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, this afternoon placed the six teams competing in the fourth qualifying round into two groups. Group A comprises hosts Qatar, the UAE, and Oman. Group B features hosts Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Indonesia.

The teams will play a single round-robin format from 8/10 to 14/10, with two teams directly qualifying for the 2026 World Cup and two more advancing to the fifth qualifying round. The bottom two teams in each group will be eliminated.

The two groups in the fourth round of Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. AFC

The two groups in the fourth round of Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. AFC

Indonesia's campaign begins against Saudi Arabia on 8/10. Three days later, Patrick Kluivert's team will face Iraq. The final matchday on 14/10 sees Saudi Arabia playing Iraq. This schedule gives the hosts a significant advantage, with six days of rest between matches, while Indonesia and Iraq have only two.

In Group A, hosts Qatar open against Oman on 8/10. Oman then plays the UAE on 11/10, and the final match features Qatar against the UAE.

If teams are tied on points in this round, the ranking will be determined by goal difference, then goals scored.

According to the July 2025 FIFA rankings, Saudi Arabia is 59th in the world, Iraq is 58th, and Indonesia is 118th. In this round, Qatar is the highest-ranked team at 53rd, followed by Oman at 79th and the UAE at 65th.

Indonesian players (in white) celebrate after their 2-0 victory over Saudi Arabia at the Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia, on the evening of 19/11/2024. AP

Indonesian players (in white) celebrate after their 2-0 victory over Saudi Arabia at the Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia, on the evening of 19/11/2024. AP

Indonesia and Saudi Arabia were in the same group during the third qualifying round. Under then-coach Shin Tae-yong, Indonesia drew 1-1 in Jeddah and won 2-0 in Jakarta. It was their first-ever victory against Saudi Arabia in 14 meetings. Following a disappointing ASEAN Cup 2024, Shin was replaced by Kluivert.

Indonesia has played Iraq 9 times, losing 8, drawing 1, and has yet to win a match. The two teams last met in the second qualifying round, where Iraq won 3-1 and 2-0. However, Indonesia has undergone significant changes in the past year, presenting Kluivert's team with an opportunity for revenge.

Asia has already determined its six automatic qualifiers for the World Cup: Iran, South Korea, Jordan, Uzbekistan, Japan, and Australia. If Indonesia finishes second in Group B of the fourth qualifying round, they will advance to the fifth round to face the second-placed team from Group A. The winner of that match will then compete in a play-off against a team from another confederation for a place in the 2026 World Cup.

Hoang An