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Qualifying for the FIFA World Cup 2026™ kicks off on Thursday night for the Socceroos as they take on Bangladesh at AAMI Park – it will be their first game in a possible three-year journey to secure Australia’s place at their sixth straight World Cup tournament.
The expansion of the FIFA World Cup from 32 teams to 48 teams has meant a shake-up to the existing qualification format, with Asia now providing eight automatic qualification slots instead of four.
This could mean an easier path for Graham Arnold’s squad if all goes to plan.
How AFC 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying works
The first round of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ AFC qualification competition took place in October 2023.
The AFC’s 20 lowest-ranked teams contested 10 two-legged home-and-away ties, with the winners joining 26 other nations in the second round, which consists of nine four-team sections.
From 13 November 2023 until 11 June 2024, each team will play home and away - with the top two from each group qualifying for the third round.
This is where the Socceroos qualification journey begins, with the Aussies in a group with Bangladesh, Palestine and Lebanon.
Australia plays the first of their second-round qualification matches on Thursday against Bangladesh, followed by a fixture against Palestine in Kuwait on Tuesday, November 21.
The second round continues for the Socceroos in March with back-to-back matches against Lebanon, followed by the return leg fixtures against Bangladesh and Palestine.
The 18 first and second-placed nations from the second round will progress to round three, where they will then be split into three groups of six - with each team again playing one another home and away from September 2024 to June 2025.
If the Socceroos finish in the top two of their group in round three, they will be assured a spot at the FIFA World Cup 2026™.
If the Socceroos finish third or fourth in their third-round group, they still have a chance of securing qualification.
The fourth round, which heralds the beginning of the Asian play-offs, consists of the six sides that finished third and fourth respectively across the third-round groups.
They will be split into two groups of three from October 2025, with the winners of these groups qualifying for the finals.
If the Socceroos miss out here, there is still one final chance for a ticket to USA, Mexico and Canada.
The fifth round, set to take place in November 2025, will pit together the two sides that finished as runners-up in the fourth-round group in a two-legged contest.
The winner will advance to the FIFA Play-Off Tournament where they will play against teams from each of the confederations for one of the two final spots at the FIFA World Cup 2026™.
It’s set to be a long qualification journey ahead, but Aussie fans will be strapped in for what will surely be a thrilling ride.
