Receive news, analysis, and other content straight to your inbox by subscribing to Football Palestine (free or paid), here. In light of deteriorating events in the past two weeks, it should come as no surprise that the Asian Football Confederation…

Everything you need to know about the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification

It is a scheduling quirk unique to Asia. No matter the format, World Cup qualification starts early and ends early. Over the last two decades that means the first qualifying matches kick off less than a year removed from the…

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has announced a new format for 2026 World Cup qualification. The global showpiece is scheduled to expand for the first time since 1998 and will feature 48 teams as opposed to the usual 32. This format will give four additional places to the Asian teams taking up total allocation from four to eight teams. The AFC will also retain an intercontinental playoff spot, meaning there could be as many as nine Asian teams in USA, Mexico, and Canada in four years' time.