MUSCAT: The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) held the draw for the fourth round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian qualifiers today in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Oman’s national football team has been placed in Group 1 alongside regional rivals Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Matches for this group will be hosted by Qatar, and all fixtures will be played in a single round-robin format between 8 and 14 October 2025. This stage is critical, with limited slots left for direct qualification to the tournament.
In parallel, Group 2 will see Saudi Arabia host matches involving Iraq and Indonesia. The two groups, each consisting of three teams, will determine who progresses directly to the World Cup and who will have to continue their qualification campaign through additional playoff stages. The winner of each group will join six other Asian teams that have already qualified for the 2026 tournament, making group success essential for a guaranteed spot.
The second-placed teams in each group will not be eliminated but will face one another in a two-legged playoff, scheduled for 13 and 18 November 2025. The winner of this playoff will earn a place in the intercontinental playoff round, offering one last opportunity to qualify for the World Cup. The additional playoff stage is designed to give more competitive teams a final shot at securing a place in the prestigious global event.
An extra draw was also held to decide the hosting arrangement for the two-legged playoff between group runners-up. It was determined that the Group 1 runner-up—either Oman, Qatar, or UAE—will host the first leg of the playoff. This home advantage could prove significant in a tightly contested battle. The Omani team and its supporters will now be closely watching the outcome of October’s matches as the national squad pushes toward a possible World Cup appearance.
