The final days of March will feature several decisive fixtures in the third round of Asian qualifying for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, with the remaining two matchdays deciding who secures automatic qualification for the global showpiece and who will contest the AFC play-off. FIFA takes a closer look at what to expect on Matchdays 9 and 10 of the Asian qualifiers.

Matchday 9 Thursday, 24 March Australia-Japan Korea Republic-IR Iran Lebanon-Syria Vietnam-Oman China PR-Saudi Arabia Iraq-United Arab Emirates Matchday 10 Tuesday, 29 March IR Iran-Lebanon Japan-Vietnam United Arab Emirates-Korea Republic Oman-China PR Syria-Iraq Saudi Arabia-Australia

In Group A, IR Iran and Korea Republic have already secured the section’s two automatic spots at Qatar 2022, leaving three Arab teams – United Arab Emirates, Lebanon and Iraq – competing for one play-off ticket. Syria, for their part, are out of contention having only garnered two points from draws against the Iraqis and Emiratis. Meanwhile, IR Iran travel to Korea Republic for a game that will decide the group winners. Team Melli currently top the section with 22 points, two ahead of the Taegeuk Warriors. The group’s final matchday will see the Iran take on Lebanon and Korea Republic face UAE. UAE are currently best placed to take the play-off spot, and would be assured of it with wins in their remaining two games. That will be no easy task, however, involving as it does a showdown with Iraq in Saudi Arabia and then the visit of Korea Republic to Dubai. Lebanon, in fourth place with six points, still stand a chance of reaching the play-off round, but unlike UAE, their fate is not in their own hands. The Cedars take on Syria in a game they will expect to win, but their final fixture will be away to Iran, who have already booked their place in Qatar. Even six points would be no guarantee for the Lebanese, who would also need UAE to slip up in one of their remaining games. Iraq have the slimmest of chances of the Arab trio. Fifth in their group with only five points and a goal difference of minus seven, it would take a minor miracle for them to secure the section’s play-off spot. To have any chance, they must win against UAE and Syria and hope the former draw or lose against Korea Republic, and for Lebanon to drop points in one of their final two games. Should all that happen, Iraq could end up with third place on 11 points, followed by Lebanon and UAE with nine or ten points. It will, however, be a very big ask for the Lions of Mesopotamia, who have not won a single away game in this qualifying phase.

In Group B, Saudi Arabia, Japan and Australia are already guaranteed at least a play-off spot, but none of them have secured an automatic ticket to the global showpiece yet. The trio will battle it out over the final two matchdays, which sees Saudi Arabia take on China PR and Australia, and Japan face Australia and Vietnam. The Green Falcons currently top the group on 19 points and are favourites to secure an automatic berth at Qatar 2022. Victory against China PR would suffice, as the game between Japan and Australia will help them no matter how it unfolds. A win over China coupled with a draw between the Samurai Blue and Socceroos would see the Saudis crowned group winners with a game to spare, while a defeat for Australia would guarantee their place in Qatar, but not necessarily as group winners. Of course, all of this requires the Kingdom to prevail against the Chinese, something they have not managed since 2009, when they ran out 4-1 winners in a friendly. Japan’s qualification fate also remains in their own hands. A win or a draw against Australia would see them in Qatar, and even a loss would not put them out of the running. Were that to happen, they would need Saudi Arabia to defeat the Socceroos on the final matchday and win their own game against Vietnam.

Several matches in this month’s AFC qualifiers will feature teams no longer in contention. One such game is Vietnam versus Oman, with the former last in the standings on three points and the latter also out of the running in fourth. Similarly, Oman versus China PR will mean very little for either side. The latter have no hope of reaching Qatar 2022, although they could influence who secures the automatic spots from Group B when they take on Saudi Arabia. Syria could also play a role in settling an all-Arab mini-competition for a play-off ticket from Group A, despite their own hopes being extinguished several months ago. The same applies to Vietnam, who face Japan in a match which could change the Samurai Blue’s fate from automatic qualifier to contending the AFC play-offs and possibly the intercontinental play-off against a team from South America.

36 The number of years since United Arab Emirates won away against Iraq in a World Cup qualifier. Al Abyad’s most recent victory against the Lions of Mesopotamia dates back to 2 September 1985, when they prevailed 2-1 with goals from Adnan Al Talyani and Fahd Khamis. The result, however, meant that Iraq secured a spot at Mexico 1986 courtesy of a 3-2 win in the first leg. Fortunately for UAE, their fixture against Iraq this time around will at a neutral venue, with Saudi Arabia playing host.

Korea Republic have guaranteed they will extend their record as the Asian country with the most appearances at the FIFA World Cup. Qatar 2022 will be their 11th appearance at the finals, putting them well ahead of IR Iran, who will move on to six, and Japan, who are vying for their seventh participation in Qatar. The Taegeuk Warriors also have the best record of any Asian team at the finals, having made the semis once and won a total of six games.