Japan, Australia and Saudi Arabia grouped together in third round of Asian World Cup qualifying

By The Associated Press

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Japan, Australia and Saudi Arabia will face each other in the third round of Asia’s World Cup qualification for a third cycle in a row following the draw in Kuala Lumpur. The three powerhouses have 19 World Cup appearances between them. They will be joined in Group C by Bahrain, China and Indonesia. Asia’s automatic allocation has increased from four teams in 2022 to eight in 2026. The top two from each of the three groups of six will qualify for the World Cup, while the six teams that finish third and fourth will progress to the fourth round of qualification to play off for two more places.