Saudi Arabia to meet Iraq, Indonesia as Qatar take on UAE, Oman in World Cup qualifiers
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.
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.
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.
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. — REUTERS
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
4 hours ago
- The Star
Cricket-Owen shines on debut as Australia beat Windies in first T20
(Reuters) -Mitchell Owen made an impressive debut as Australia beat West Indies by three wickets to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match Twenty20 International series in Jamaica on Sunday. Owen took a wicket with his medium pace bowling before returning to smash 50 off 27 balls as Australia chased down a 190-run target with seven balls to spare. West Indies, who lost the preceding test series 3-0, got off to a strong start after being put into bat at Sabina Park. Captain Shai Hope (55), Roston Chase (60) and Shimron Hetmyer (38) laid the platform for a 200-plus score but the late flourish they expected never materialised. Andre Russell, who will quit international cricket after the second T20 on Tuesday, made only eight. Australia's Ben Dwarshuis (4-36) mowed down the middle and lower order as West Indies were forced to settle for a modest 189-8. While Australia lost both their openers, captain Mitchell Marsh and Jake Fraser-McGurk, inside the powerplay they were propped up by a breezy 80-run stand by Cameron Green (51) and Owen. Green belted five sixes in his 26-ball blitz, while Owen smacked six of them before holing out in the 17th over with Australia on the cusp of victory. (Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi; editing by Peter Rutherford)
The Star
4 hours ago
- The Star
Soccer-New signings will help bring Arsenal trophies, says Gabriel
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Champions League - Round of 16 - Second Leg - Arsenal v PSV Eindhoven - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - March 12, 2025 Arsenal's Gabriel Magalhaes and Oleksandr Zinchenko REUTERS/David Klein/File Photo (Reuters) -Arsenal let Premier League titles slip through their grasp in the last couple of years but the arrival of top-quality signings will make a difference this season, said defender Gabriel Magalhaes. Runners-up for the last three seasons, Arsenal have signed winger Noni Madueke and goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga from Chelsea, as well as midfielders Christian Norgaard from Brentford and Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad. Swedish striker Viktor Gyokeres, who scored 54 goals in 52 games for Sporting last season, is also expected to make the switch to the Emirates Stadium. "I think the players that came will help us out a lot. The club is doing what is best for the players and the manager," Gabriel told the BBC in an interview published on Sunday. "They are definitely doing their best to bring the best players that can help us, but we have to focus on what we can do out on the pitch. The players that are here are doing that. We are strong and we are getting stronger with these new players. "We want to have the best players. To be in the dispute for titles, you have to have the best players ... We have let a couple of titles slip through our fingers recently. We almost won but I think this year, things will be different." Arsenal begin their 2025-26 Premier League campaign on August 17 with a trip to Manchester United. (Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
The Star
7 hours ago
- The Star
No home comfort
AFTER facing hostile crowds at home in the Concacaf Gold Cup, Tyler Adams says US players hope to be better prepared in case American supporters are outnumbered at World Cup matches next year. Sellout crowds of 22,423 at St Louis' Energizer Park and 70,925 at Houston's NRG Stadium overwhelmingly and loudly supported the visiting team during the US' 1-0 win over Guatemala in the semi-finals and 2-1 loss to Mexico in the final. 'That's an experience that they're going to have because who knows what the World Cup landscape is going to look like in terms of fans and the turnout?' Adams said. Mexico midfielder Edson Alvarez (on ground) scoring his team's second goal in their 2-1 win over the US. — AFP Mexico fans outnumbered the Americans during the final at the NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, on July 6. — AP 'To play in a home tournament and have – feel like it's an away game in a hostile environment, that's such a good experience for every single player.' First-round World Cup matches for the Americans are scheduled for Inglewood, California and Seattle. Adams, the US captain at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, spoke from Wappinger, New York, where he worked with the lawn-care products firm Scotts to dedicate the Tyler Adams Soccer Pitch at Martz Field Recreation Facility. Six of the American starters in the three Gold Cup knockout matches didn't play in World Cup qualifiers, where opponents often find difficult field conditions and loud fans. Mexico fans cheer before a CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Mexico and Saudi Arabia, Saturday, June 28, 2025, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Samantha Chow) 'Giving ourselves an opportunity to play in a final is progress in and of itself,' Adams said. 'So many guys gained experiences throughout the tournament: first time in crazy atmospheres, first time against Mexico in the final, so many firsts for so many players. 'That is going to be hugely valuable to the group in general.' Adams said the five-week training camp was integral in getting to know coach Mauricio Pochettino, hired last year to replace Gregg Berhalter after the team's first-round exit at the Copa America. Mauricio Pochettino was hired last year to replace Gregg Berhalter after the team's first-round exit at the Copa America. — AFP Adams introduced the coach to his family members. 'It creates a bond and a sense of the culture that he's trying to build within our team,' Adams said. 'He sat down after the game and he kind of spoke to us and it really sparked a lot of emotions for him in that final because he knows how hard we worked over the past five weeks and how much more we were hoping to accomplish with winning the trophy. 'But he couldn't have been more proud and I felt exactly the same way of the whole group.' Many regulars missed the tournament and some young players emerged. The first sign of how Pochettino re-evaluates his player pool will be when he selects his roster for friendlies against South Korea on Sept 6 at Harrison, New Jersey, and Japan three days later at Columbus, Ohio. 'Their job just got a whole lot harder,' Adams said of Pochettino and his assistants. 'I think he saw a lot of guys grow and grow into big roles and guys that can play future big roles. And, of course, the next year obviously proves a lot, as well. 'You know, guys have to go back and perform and show that they're at the level to be there.' Adams will report to Bournemouth on July 26 or 27 during the club's US pre-season tour ahead of their Premier League opener at defending champions Liverpool on Aug 15. In the meantime, he gets a few weeks off. Scotts approached him about restoring a field, and on he and the company launched a 'Keep It Real' sweepstakes open through July 24 in which five youth sports organisations will be picked to have Scotts refurbish grass fields with the company's products. 'I mentioned doing something in my hometown where I grew up. They jumped at the idea,' he said. 'I'm having the opportunity to sit on a field where I grew up, came to camp to.' Adams would like to restore more fields. 'I would do 100 if I could,' he said. — AP
