AFC President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa has extended his congratulations to the six Asian nations that have secured their places at the expanded 48-team FIFA World Cup 2026, praising their achievements as a landmark moment for Asian football.

Following the conclusion of Matchday 10 in the AFC Asian Qualifiers™ – Road to 26 on Tuesday, Australia, Japan, Korea Republic, Islamic Republic of Iran, Jordan, and Uzbekistan have all confirmed their tickets to North America.

Debut Delight for Jordan and Uzbekistan

Among the six, Jordan and Uzbekistan made history by qualifying for the FIFA World Cup for the first time. Jordan booked their place on Matchday 9, while Uzbekistan’s qualification marks a new chapter for Central Asian football.

Korea Republic extended their remarkable record with an 11th consecutive World Cup qualification, while Australia confirmed their spot with a crucial 2-1 victory over Saudi Arabia in Jeddah on the final matchday.

Earlier in the campaign, Japan became the first non-host nation in the world to secure qualification, doing so on March 20, 2025. Iran followed just five days later, continuing their consistent World Cup presence.

A Message from the AFC President

In an official statement, Shaikh Salman praised the collective progress of the continent:

“On behalf of the Asian football family, I would like to put on record our heartfelt congratulations to Australia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Japan and Korea Republic for securing their places at the FIFA World Cup 2026, and special praise must be reserved for Jordan and Uzbekistan on their monumental achievement."

“We must also applaud all our Participating Member Associations for their commitment to uplift the standards of the game across the continent. The fiercely competitive matches we witnessed during the critical stages of the qualifiers clearly demonstrate the narrowing gap amongst all our teams.”

He also recalled Asia’s breakthrough performance at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where a record three Asian nations—Australia, Japan, and Korea Republic—reached the knockout stage.

“It is our collective desire to build on this strong momentum and produce more breakthrough moments in 2026,” he added.

Final Playoff Path for Remaining Teams

While six teams have already made history, the race is far from over. The remaining six nations—Indonesia, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates—will compete for the final two direct Asian berths in a centralised playoff format. Host nations for the two groups will be announced in due course.

The two second-placed teams from these groups will then face each other for a spot in the FIFA Play-Off Tournament, which offers one final ticket to the 2026 World Cup.

A Journey That Began with 46 Nations

The Asian qualifiers began in October 2023, with Myanmar hosting Macau in the very first match in Yangon. Since then, 46 nations have competed through a demanding schedule. Now, only a few hurdles remain before Asia completes its roster for the biggest FIFA World Cup in history.

Shaikh Salman closed his message with words of encouragement and assurance:

“We wish all our qualified teams the very best with their preparations, and we want to assure them that the AFC is committed to their success. We also wish our six participating Member Associations the very best of luck as they strive to secure the remaining spots on the global stage.”

As the road to North America continues, Asian football looks poised to make an even bigger impact on the world stage in 2026.