World Cup 2026 qualification gets underway !!!

[Nokhodi]

Holy Shiite! Just getting caught up. I know it was a friendly, but PK's against a 71 ranked Cape Verde? Cape who? Da fak is going on.

Cape Verde is a World Cup qualified team from a group with Cameroon and Angola. More legionnaires than us.
They're not a bad team.

[Keano]

Holy Shiite! Just getting caught up. I know it was a friendly, but PK's against a 71 ranked Cape Verde? Cape who? Da fak is going on.

But honestly if you look at our own ranking, you'd realize how big of a joke these rankings and the ranking criteria are

[Pluto2000]

But honestly if you look at our own ranking, you'd realize how big of a joke these rankings and the ranking criteria are

True, without Taremi and Azmoun we would immediately drop to rank 30-40. You take away their clutch moments where we scored a late winner or came back in the last 10 TM games and suddenly we are at like 5-6 losses in 10 games

[jack7000]

UAE - Iraq 1-1 FT


I am not sure if the away goal is still in effect, but if it is, Iraq has the advantage going into the 2nd leg.

Yes for the AFC playoffs still it is in effect

[peiman92]

Yes for the AFC playoffs still it is in effect

Based on your own speculations or do you have a source to back it up?

[Super Shojaei]

Holy Shiite! Just getting caught up. I know it was a friendly, but PK's against a 71 ranked Cape Verde? Cape who? Da fak is going on.

One of Africa’s inform teams and they knocked off Cameroon in their group to qualify so hardly a minnow

[peiman92]

I’m looking forward to Nigeria - Dr Congo tomorrow. Nigeria with Osimhen are playing great atm.

If they can manage to qualify (still need to go through Int.con playoffs if they beat Congo) they will be fun to watch at the WC next year.

[Super Shojaei]

Esteghal's Dickens Nzon is the top scorer for the Concacacaf region of qualifying

https://x.com/IndianFootyBest/status...943687275?s=20

[jack7000]

Based on your own speculations or do you have a source to back it up?

well, actually I read on a German site (https://www.fussball-wm.pro/wm-2026/qualifikation/), quoting: "Wichtig für die Qualifikation abseits Europas: Die FIFA lässt neben der Gruppenphase ausdrücklich auch das Pokalsystem mit Hin- und Rückspiel zu. Der asiatische Kontinentalverband war der erste, der bekannt gegeben hat, wie seine Qualifikation für die WM 2026 aussehen soll. Er hat sich dafür entschieden, das Pokalsystem zu nutzen. Anders als neuerdings in den UEFA-Wettbewerben bleiben dabei die mehr geschossenen Auswärtstore weiter von Bedeutung.

Als Beispiel: Geht das erste Spiel 1:1 aus und folgt darauf ein 2:2, so kommt das Auswärtsteam der zweiten Partie weiter. Bei Gleichheit folgen ansonsten Verlängerung und Elfmeterschießen. Die asiatische Qualifikation wird fünf Runden umfassen. Die beiden ersten Runden sind dabei zugleich für die folgende Asienmeisterschaft."

However I'm not sure how trustable it is, since other hands another site (Persian)gulfnews.com/sport/football/world-cup-2026-qualifier-uae-are-1-1-against-iraq-at-halfway-mark-1.500345157
says "With away goals not in play, everything now depends on the second leg."

[Super Shojaei]

Congo win Nigeria out

[perspolis#1]

Holy Shiite! Just getting caught up. I know it was a friendly, but PK's against a 71 ranked Cape Verde? Cape who? Da fak is going on.

Rankings are a joke.

Case and point,

Ecuador, Austria, Turkey, Canada, Norway, Poland, Algeria, Serbia, Sweden, Paraguay, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Uzbekistan are all better than us at current state but behind us in rankings.

The energy we give is important. As a culture we keep upping Cyrus the Great 2500 yrs ago but we cant provide water for people now.

Similarly, people think Iran can go toe to toe tiki taka attacking vs Spain but we havent beaten Uzbekistan in 5 games

[perspolis#1]

Iraq beats UAE 2-1 in extra time.

UAE eliminated.

Iraq to the Intercontinental playoff.


Honestly good. Disgraceful if a UAE team of African/English/South American mercenaries would have gone through.

[BacheLot]

is it just me or this WC Tickets seems outrageously expen$$ive ...?

yesterday i just bought one TST Iran 3rd category ticket , till i see where and who we end up playing and to see if they reduce prices if unable to sell out ..!!

anyone else bought WC tickets yet..??

[Keano]

is it just me or this WC Tickets seems outrageously expen$$ive ...?

yesterday i just bought one TST Iran 3rd category ticket , till i see where and who we end up playing and to see if they reduce prices if unable to sell out ..!!

anyone else bought WC tickets yet..??

I have been meaning to buy. What are the price ranges?

[Nokhodi]

is it just me or this WC Tickets seems outrageously expen$$ive ...?

yesterday i just bought one TST Iran 3rd category ticket , till i see where and who we end up playing and to see if they reduce prices if unable to sell out ..!!

anyone else bought WC tickets yet..??

I couldn't even get one ticket. FIFA knows what it's doing and is using dynamic pricing which allows to charge exorborant rates.