Latest news with #AsianFootballConfederation
Arab Times
8 hours ago
- Sport
- Arab Times
Kuwait is still in the hunt for a World Cup playoff spot despite long odds
KUWAIT CITY, June 2: Kuwait launched an internal training camp today as part of its preparations for two decisive matches against Palestine and South Korea. These fixtures, set for Thursday and the following Tuesday, mark the ninth and tenth (final) rounds of Group B in the AFC qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The Blues currently sit in sixth and last place in Group B with five points. South Korea tops the group with 16 points, followed by Jordan (13), Iraq (12), Oman (10), and Palestine (6). Despite the odds, National Teams Director Saud Al-Mujammed believes Kuwait still has a mathematical chance to reach the Asian play-offs. 'Everyone is holding on to this hope, even though it is slim,' he said. Al-Mujammed noted that qualification now hinges on the outcomes of other group matches. 'It's no longer in our hands,' he acknowledged, 'but the team is determined to give its best and achieve positive results in both games.' He also confirmed that Argentine coach Juan Antonio Pizzi and his technical staff are fully in charge of player selection, expressing optimism that the squad will perform at a high level and fight for victories. Midfielder Hussein Ashkanani underwent an X-ray after experiencing minor muscle discomfort, as advised by Dr. Abdul Majeed Al-Bannai, head of the Football Association's Medical Committee. Dr. Al-Bannai confirmed Ashkanani will continue training under medical supervision. He also pointed out that some drop in physical condition is expected, as the domestic season has concluded, and players may lack proper recovery training. 'The medical staff is closely monitoring all players to ensure full readiness for both matches,' he said. The Asian Football Confederation has appointed a Tajik officiating crew for Kuwait's clash against Palestine. Sadullo Gulmoradi will serve as the referee, assisted by Hasan Karimov and Farkhad Karilov, with Abdul Davalitov as fourth official. Emirati referees Mohammed Obaid and Yahya Al-Mulla will manage VAR duties. The Palestinian national team began its preparations with a training session yesterday at Thamer Stadium and will hold a second session this evening at the same venue. Their final practice before the match will take place tomorrow night at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium, where the game is scheduled to be played on Thursday.
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
🌏 Watch Australia vs Japan LIVE and for FREE on Yahoo Sports 📺
🌏 Watch Australia vs Japan LIVE and for FREE on Yahoo Sports 📺 It's international soccer time, and OneFootball will be broadcasting two matches this week from the Asian Football Confederation LIVE and FREE-TO-ACCESS on Yahoo Sports. The road to the 2026 World Cup continues with… Australia vs Japan Thursday 5 June 2025 Kick-off: 04:10 Pacific/07:10 Eastern Advertisement To watch, simply click PLAY on the video above, and enjoy the match LIVE and for FREE. Streams begin 10 minutes before kick-off. Users in the United States and Canada can also watch every AFC World Cup qualification match LIVE on OneFootball. Individual match streams are priced $4.99 for users in the United States and Canada, with Season Passes also priced at $14.99. To watch, simply head over to the OneFootball app or website, navigate to the TV tab on the Home screen, and search for AFC Live. All matches are also live-streamed on the OneFootball TV app, available on connected TVs from Apple TV, Google TV, Samsung, LG, and Fire TV. Highlights will also be available after the match in the OneFootball app. 📸 Koji Watanabe - 2024 Getty Images
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
🌏 Watch Qatar vs Iran LIVE and for FREE on Yahoo Sports 📺
🌏 Watch Qatar vs Iran LIVE and for FREE on Yahoo Sports 📺 It's international soccer time, and OneFootball will be broadcasting two matches this week from the Asian Football Confederation LIVE and FREE-TO-ACCESS on Yahoo Sports. The road to the 2026 World Cup continues with… Qatar vs Iran Thursday 5 June 2025 Kick-off: 11:15 Pacific/14:15 Eastern Advertisement To watch, simply click PLAY on the video above, and enjoy the match LIVE and for FREE. Streams begin 10 minutes before kick-off. Users in the United States and Canada can also watch every AFC World Cup qualification match LIVE on OneFootball. Individual match streams are priced $4.99 for users in the United States and Canada, with Season Passes also priced at $14.99. To watch, simply head over to the OneFootball app or website, navigate to the TV tab on the Home screen, and search for AFC Live. All matches are also live-streamed on the OneFootball TV app, available on connected TVs from Apple TV, Google TV, Samsung, LG, and Fire TV. Highlights will also be available after the match in the OneFootball app. 📸 FADEL SENNA - AFP or licensors
Hans India
2 days ago
- Sport
- Hans India
Popovic names Australia's extended squad for crunch World Cup qualifiers
Australia's men's football head coach Tony Popovic has named an extended 26-man squad on Sunday for the final fixtures in the third round of Asian Football Confederation (AFC) qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Australia currently sits second in Group C with 13 points from eight games and will play first-placed Japan in Western Australia on Thursday and third-placed Saudi Arabia in Jeddah on the following Tuesday. The top two-ranked teams will qualify automatically for the 2026 World Cup and a win against Japan would guarantee qualification for the Socceroos. If the Australians are beaten by Japan in Perth, a draw against Saudi Arabia would likely be enough to finish second in the group because of the Socceroos' current three-point and goal difference advantage. "We've put ourselves in a good position within the group to be in control of our destiny. We are ready to embrace this challenge with great respect of our opponents, though full of belief and confidence to achieve our goal of automatic qualification," Popovic said on Sunday, as quoted by Xinhua. Popovic's squad includes four players who have never represented the Socceroos and only two who have made over 50 appearances for the national team -- veteran goalkeeper Maty Ryan and defender Azi Behich. Behich is one of six squad members who played in Saturday night's A-League grand final, which was won by Melbourne City against crosstown rivals Melbourne Victory. Emerging defender Alessandro Circati has been named after recovering from a ruptured ACL injury suffered in September 2024 and star midfielder Riley McGree has also been selected to return from injury. If the Socceroos do not finish in the top two positions in Group C they will progress to the fourth round of AFC qualification as they aim to reach a sixth consecutive World Cup. Socceroos squad: Daniel Arzani, Aziz Behich, Brandon Borrello, Kasey Bos, Martin Boyle, Cameron Burgess, Anthony Caceres, Alessandro Circati, Milos Degenek, Mitchell Duke, Joe Gauci, Jason Geria, Paul Izzo, Riley McGree, Connor Metcalfe, Lewis Miller, Paul Okon-Engstler, Aiden O'Neill, Kye Rowles, Mat Ryan, Mohamed Toure, Adam Taggart, Ryan Teague, Marco Tilio, Kai Trewin, Patrick Yazbek
India Gazette
4 days ago
- Sport
- India Gazette
Preparing for perfect challenges, Blue Tigers caravan reaches Thailand for friendly game
Pathum Thani [Thailand], May 29 (ANI): After completing the Kolkata leg of their training camp, the Indian men's national football team landed in Thailand just past midnight on Thursday. The Blue Tigers will play a friendly match against the hosts on June 4 ahead of the crucial Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup Qualifiers Final Round match versus Hong Kong on June 10. This is the third time the Indian senior men's team have visited the Land of Smiles in the past six years. India previously participated in the 2019 and 2023 King's Cup, winning the bronze medal in the former after beating Thailand 1-0, which was the last meeting between these two sides, as per an All India Football Federation (AIFF) press release. While the King's Cups were held in Buriram and Chiang Mai, respectively, the upcoming friendly will take place at the Thammasat Stadium in Pathum Thani, a venue the Blue Tigers have never played in before. However, the Blue Colts have -- as recently as 2023 in the AFC U17 Asian Cup. India drew 1-1 with Vietnam and lost 0-1 against Uzbekistan at the Thammasat Stadium. Midfielder Brandon Fernandes, who made his India debut at the 2019 King's Cup in Buriram against Curacao, is up for the challenge in Pathum Thani. He also spent the last pre-season with his club Mumbai City FC in Thailand, so it is safe to say, he is quite familiar with the country, its weather, and playing conditions. 'It is always different when you play away from home. We are familiar with Thailand because we played the King's Cup here. This one is going to be a different game -- an international friendly. There will be more fans supporting the home team, and it's a challenge for us. We have to be ready for it and go there with a mindset to win the game,' the 30-year-old told Team India's hotel is situated in the heart of Pathum Thani, approximately 50 kilometres north of Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport. Pathum Thani, one of Thailand's 76 provinces and part of the Bangkok metropolitan area, is located on the banks of the Chao Phraya River. The Thammasat Stadium, part of the Thammasat University campus, was built for the 1998 Asian Games. The Indian women's team also played two matches in the group stage of the Asiad Games. Right now, the Blue Tigers' primary aim is to qualify for the Asian Cup in 2027, and Fernandes feels that the preparations for the Hong Kong game are on the right track. 'Everybody is looking fit after the camp in Kolkata. We also had a couple of practice games. We are in much better shape as we head into the Thailand leg of the camp. We'll have a few more training sessions here, and we will be ready for the game.' 'Thailand will be a perfect challenge for us in order to prepare for the Hong Kong game. We have to put our best foot forward and look for a positive result. Everybody has put in the work, those hard yards, and yes -- with the way we train and are putting in the shifts, I think we will get a good result,' Fernandes said. (ANI)
