Asia has moved upward. We cannot let our guard down.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) held a draw for the third Asian qualifying round for the 2026 FIFA Canada-Mexico-U.S. World Cup. In the second qualifying round, South Korea was in Group C with China, Thailand, and Singapore. The result of the six matches was five wins, one draw, 20 points, and one run, ranking first. China and South Korea advanced to the third qualifying round.
There was no chance for South Korea to meet with Japan and Iran because the team was located in the first pot. Attention was drawn to whether Australia, Saudi Arabia, North Korea, and coach Shin Tae-yong would meet with Indonesia, but the team did not match any other team. South Korea is in Group B along with Iraq, Jordan, Oman, Palestine, and Kuwait.
Considering that Australia, Saudi Arabia, China and Indonesia are in Group C, which includes Japan, many call Group B a “honey-jo.” It is true, but we cannot let our guard down. As we saw at the 2023 Asian Cup in Qatar, Asian teams are clearly leveled upward. A team that used to be considered weak is no longer an easy match to win. 메이저사이트
At the Asian Cup, Korea struggled throughout the tournament after catching Bahrain in the first group match. The team had a 2-2 draw with Jordan in the second group match, and a 3-3 shock draw with Malaysia. The team met Jordan in the semifinals after a close game of going to extra time, with Saudi Arabia in the round of 16 and Australia in the quarterfinals. Naturally, many predicted the team would make it to the final, but it ended up losing 0-2.
Even without taking Korea for example, other Asian powerhouses also struggled with the growth and gusty winds of weak countries. It should also be noted that the teams in the same group are all Middle Eastern teams. Another source of concern for Korea could be the need to play games in succession not in neighboring Japan, China or Southeast Asia but in the Middle East, where the environment is difficult and far away. Never let your guard down.
Meanwhile, Asia will have 8.5 sheets for the North and Central America World Cup, and six winners will be determined through the third round of qualifying rounds. The 18 teams that advanced to the second round will compete in three groups of six teams. The first and second runners-up of each group will secure a berth to the World Cup finals. The third and fourth runners-up teams of each group will go through regional playoffs in Asia. A total of six teams ranking third and fourth in each group will be divided into two groups, and the top-ranked teams in each group will win a berth to the finals. The second-ranked teams in each group will have to compete for a berth to the World Cup through an intercontinental playoff.