UAE take on Qatar, Oman in 2026 World Cup qualifiers
Qatar will host the Group B matches in the fourth round of the qualifiers in October.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia were drawn to take on Iraq and Indonesia in Group A.
The winners of each of the three-team groups, which will be played in October, will join already-qualified Australia, Japan, South Korea, Uzbekistan, Iran and Jordan at next year's expanded 48-nation finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Group B hosts Qatar, organisers of the 2022 World Cup but who have never qualified for the finals, will take on Oman in their first game on Oct. 8. UAE will face the Omanis on Oct. 11, with Qatar and the UAE meeting on Oct. 14.
Saudi Arabia, who are attempting to qualify for a seventh World Cup finals since 1994, will host Group A and open against Indonesia on Oct. 8.
Indonesia will then play Graham Arnold's Iraq on Oct. 11 before the Saudis and Iraq face off on Oct. 14.
The nations finishing in second place in each group will advance to a further round of qualifying, which will be held over two legs in November on a home-and-away basis.
Asia has been granted eight guaranteed berths at the finals. A possible ninth berth is available to the winner of November's match-up via an intercontinental playoff in March.
The UAE are attempting to the qualify for the World Cup for the first time since their debut appearance at Italia 1990.
The Whites finished third in the third round of qualifiers behind Iran and Uzbekistan in Group A, missing out on a direct berth for the World Cup.
Cosmin Olariu's team now gets another shot at glory.
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