Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq have been placed in Group B for the fourth round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian qualifiers, following Thursday’s group stage draw in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Indonesia was represented at the draw by head coach Patrick Kluivert and team manager Sumardji. The event was conducted by Uzbekistan head coach Timur Kapadze, who recently led his team to secure a World Cup berth.
Indonesia and Saudi Arabia previously faced each other twice in the third qualifying round, with the Garuda Squad earning a draw and a win over the Green Falcons.
Their first encounter, held in Jeddah last September, ended in a 1-1 draw under the leadership of Shin Tae-yong. At the time, Saudi Arabia was coached by Italy’s Roberto Mancini.
The second match took place in November at Jakarta’s Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, where Indonesia — still led by Shin — defeated Saudi Arabia 2-0. The Green Falcons were then managed by French coach Hervé Renard.
All Group B matches in the upcoming round will be hosted by Saudi Arabia.
Indonesia has also faced Iraq three times over the past two years — in World Cup qualifiers and during the 2023 AFC Asian Cup group stage — and lost on each occasion. Iraq is currently ranked 58th in the FIFA World Rankings.
In Group A, host nation Qatar will compete against the United Arab Emirates and Oman as it seeks a second consecutive World Cup appearance, having qualified automatically in 2022 as the host.
The fourth-round matches are scheduled for October 8, 11, and 14. Group winners will qualify directly for the 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Runner-up teams will advance to the fifth round for a chance to earn an inter-confederation playoff spot, while third-placed teams will be eliminated.
In the fifth round, the Group A runner-up will host the first leg on November 13, followed by the return leg hosted by Group B’s runner-up on November 18.
So far, six Asian teams have secured direct qualification: Iran, Uzbekistan, Jordan, South Korea, Japan, and Australia — all of whom placed first or second in their groups in the third round.
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Translator: Zaro E, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Anton Santoso
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