The next edition of the FIFA World Cup will be the largest version of the tournament, expanding from 32 to 48 teams. The longer tournament, with more number of matches, will also allow confederations to have more representation in the premier international tournament.
For Asia, that paves the way for relatively weaker nations to earn a spot in the World Cup.
How many slots does Asia have in the World Cup?
Asia has been allocated eight direct slots in the World Cup and another possible slot, which will be decided through an inter-confederation playoff.
How many World Cup slots does each continent have?
Following are the slots allocated to each continent for the FIFA World Cup 2026:
• Europe – UEFA – 16
• Africa – CAF – 9 and one-third
• Asia – AFC – 8 and one-third
• Oceania – OFC – 1 and one-third
• North and Central America – CONCACAF – 6 (3 hosts) and two-third
• South America – CONMEBOL – 6 and one-third
How many spots did Asia previously have in the World Cup?
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) previously had just four direct spots and another possible spot through an inter-confederation play-off.
How does World Cup qualifying work for Asia?
There are five rounds of qualification for Asian countries into the FIFA World Cup 2026. Starting with 46 teams, eight teams are finalised through the first four rounds and the winner of the fifth round makes it to the inter-confederation play-off.
Dates
Asian qualifying for the FIFA World Cup 2026 began on October 12, 2023 and will end in November 2025.
Tickets to FIFA World Cup 2026
For the first time, Asia will have eight direct berths at the FIFA World Cup, with an additional nation participating in the FIFA Play-Off Tournament for a possible total of nine AFC participants.
How Qualifying Works
The qualification process for Asian teams consists of five rounds:
Round 1: The Asian Football Confederation’s 20 lowest-ranked teams compete in two-leg, home-and-away series, with the 10 winners advancing to the second round of the qualifying group stage.
Round 2: Thirty-six teams are split into nine groups with four teams in each group. From November 13, 2023 until June 11, 2024, each team will play home and away, with the top two from each group qualifying for the third round.
Round 3: Eighteen teams are split into three groups of six. From September 2024 to June 2025, each team will play one another home and away. The top two from each group will qualify for the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Round 4: The remaining teams from the third round are drawn into two groups of three teams each. The teams will play each other in a one-off game at a neutral venue. The winners from each group will qualify for the World Cup and the runners-up will enter Round 5.
Round 5: The teams will play two legs on a home-and-away basis with the winner qualifying for the inter-confederation play-off.
The Schedule
Round 1: October 9-17, 2023
Round 2: November 13, 2023 – June 11, 2024
Round 3: September 2, 2024 – June 10, 2025
Asian play-offs (Rounds 4 & 5): October 6, 2025 – November 18, 2025
FIFA Play-Off Tournament
Six teams from different confederations will compete for the final two places at the FIFA World Cup 2026. The four lowest-ranked nations will meet in bracket semi-finals. The two highest-ranked teams will go directly into the finals. The winners of the two bracket finals will reach the FIFA World Cup 2026.
How can India qualify for the FIFA World Cup?
India will have to finish in the top two in the second and third rounds of the qualifiers to seal a spot in the FIFA World Cup 2026.
If India finishes in the top two of the second round and fails to make it to the top two in the next round:
• India will have to be a group winner in the fourth round to secure a spot in the FIFA World Cup 2026
• If India fails to make the cut in the fourth round, it will have to win its match in the fifth round to qualify for the inter-confederation play-off. A win in the play-off will secure a spot in the FIFA World Cup 2026.
False Claims Circulate as Viral Images Mislead About Indian Football Team’s World Cup Qualification
In the midst of excitement and anticipation, a misleading collage of images is making rounds on various social media platforms, falsely asserting that the Indian football team has secured a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. However, a closer look at the facts reveals a different story.
Debunking the claim: Indian team yet to qualify
The viral collage comprises two images, one depicting a recreated newspaper and the other showcasing the Indian football team in a group photograph. Contrary to the viral claim, India has not yet qualified for the World Cup.
Image origins and timeline: Setting the record straight
First Image – October 2019: The recreated newspaper image, depicting fervent Indian supporters, dates back to October 2019. It captures a moment during the 2022 World Cup and 2023 AFC Asian Cup qualifying football match between India and Bangladesh in Kolkata. The image was uploaded on a stock image website, ‘Getty Images,’ in 2019.
Second Image – June 2022: The second image, featuring the Indian football team, surfaced at least by June 2022. It was taken after India’s victory against Hong Kong by 4-0 in Kolkata, securing their place in the finals of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup. The image is credited to the All India Football Federation (AIFF).
Current Status: India’s World Cup Journey
As of now, India is actively participating in the second round of the World Cup Qualifiers, grouped with Kuwait, Afghanistan, and Qatar. The team secured a notable victory against Kuwait on November 17, winning 1-0, and lost to Qatar 0-3 on November 21.
The road to the 2026 World Cup will only unfold in the third round of qualifications. India must finish among the top two in their current group to advance to the next stage of the qualifiers.
MTNews Desk / With inputs from agencies
