Kuala Lumpur, July 17 (QNA) - The draw for the fourth round of the AFC Asian Qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup 2026 was held on Thursday in Kuala Lumpur, placing the group's host Qatar in Group A alongside the UAE and Oman.

Group B will feature group's host Saudi Arabia, together with Iraq and Indonesia.

The playoff matches are scheduled for October 8 to 14. Only the winners of each group will secure direct qualifications to the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Each group will play a single round-robin format at centralized venues.

An additional draw determined the hosts for the two-legged inter-group playoff between the runners-up of each group.

The second-placed team in Group A will host the first leg on November 13, while the return leg will take place on November 18 at the home of the second-placed team in Group B.

The winner of this playoff will advance to the intercontinental playoff, which offers a final chance to qualify for the FIFA World Cup.

Qatar will open its campaign against Oman on October 8 before facing the UAE on October 14.

The draw seeding was based on the FIFA Men's World Rankings for Asian teams released on June 13, 2025.

Pot 1 included Qatar (ranked 53rd) and Saudi Arabia (58th), Pot 2 featured Iraq (59th) and the UAE (66th), while Pot 3 comprised Oman (79th) and Indonesia (118th).

Qatar, the reigning two-time AFC Asian Cup champion, is aiming to qualify for its second consecutive FIFA World Cup appearance following its debut as host in 2022.

Under Spanish coach Julen Lopetegui, the team is preparing for the challenge ahead as it seeks a spot in the tournament to be held in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.

Lopetegui is currently leading a training camp in Austria that will continue until July 27 to ensure optimal readiness for October's playoffs.

Six of the eight direct Asian berths for the FIFA World Cup have already been secured following the conclusion of the third qualifying round in June. The qualified teams are Japan, Iran, Uzbekistan, South Korea, Jordan, and Australia. (QNA)