The second round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup AFC Qualifiers will have 36 teams participating divided into nine groups of four teams. Ten first-round winners joined the teams ranked 1 to 26 who have received direct entry to this round. The teams will play against each other on a home-and-away basis. The nine group winners and group runners-up advance to the third round of the World Cup qualifiers and also automatically qualify for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia.
Due to an increase in the number of participating teams from the 2026 edition onwards held in Canada, USA and Mexico, the slots allotted for AFC nations in the tournament have also increased. Eight nations will be able to qualify directly to the World Cup with one more side entering the inter-confederation playoffs. The qualification process involves five rounds with the first round completed in October 2023. The draw for the first and second rounds of joint qualification took place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 27 July 2023.
Here is the full schedule of the 2026 FIFA World Cup AFC Qualifiers Round 2:
Group A
Afghanistan
India
Kuwait
Qatar
Fixtures
Thursday, 16 November 2023
Qatar vs Afghanistan - Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan (21:15)
Kuwait vs India - Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium, Kuwait City (22:00)
Tuesday, 21 November 2023
India vs Qatar - Kalinga Stadium, Odisha (19:00)
Afghanistan vs Kuwait - Abdullah Al-Dabal Stadium, Al Khobar (22:30)
Thursday, 21 March 2024
Afghanistan vs India (TBD)
Qatar vs Kuwait (TBD)
Tuesday, 24 March 2024
India vs Afghanistan (TBD)
Kuwait vs Qatar (TBD)
Thursday, 6 June 2024
Afghanistan vs Qatar (TBD)
India vs Kuwait (TBD)
Tuesday, 11 June 2024
Qatar vs India (TBD)
Kuwait vs Afghanistan (TBD)
Group B
Japan
North Korea
Syria
Myanmar
Fixtures
Thursday, 16 November 2023
Japan vs Myanmar - Panasonic Stadium, Suita (15:30)
Syria vs North Korea - Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium, Jeddah (22:30)
Tuesday, 21 November 2023
Myanmar vs North Korea - Thuwunna Stadium, Yangon (15:00)
Syria vs Japan - Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium, Jeddah (20:15)
Thursday, 21 March 2024
Japan vs North Korea (TBD)
Myanmar vs Syria (TBD)
Tuesday, 24 March 2024
Syria vs Myanmar (TBD)
North Korea vs Japan (TBD)
Thursday, 6 June 2024
Myanmar vs Japan (TBD)
North Korea vs Syria (TBD)
Tuesday, 11 June 2024
Japan vs Syria (TBD)
North Korea vs Myanmar (TBD)
Group C
China
South Korea
Singapore
Thailand
Fixtures
Thursday, 16 November 2023
South Korea vs Singapore - Sangam Stadium, Seoul (16:30)
Thailand vs China - Rajamangala National Stadium, Bangkok (18:00)
Tuesday, 21 November 2023
Singapore vs Thailand - Singapore National Stadium, Kalang (17:30)
China vs South Korea - Shenzhen Universiade Sports Centre, Shenzhen (17:30)
Thursday, 21 March 2024
Singapore vs China (TBD)
South Korea vs Thailand (TBD)
Tuesday, 24 March 2024
China vs Singapore (TBD)
Thailand vs South Korea (TBD)
Thursday, 6 June 2024
China vs Thailand (TBD)
Singapore vs South Korea (TBD)
Tuesday, 11 June 2024
Thailand vs Singapore (TBD)
South Korea vs China (TBD)
Group D
Chinese Taipei
Kyrgyzstan
Malaysia
Oman
Fixtures
Thursday, 16 November 2023
Malaysia vs Kyrgyzstan - Bukit Jalil National Stadium, Kuala Lumpur (18:30)
Oman vs Chinese Taipei - Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex, Muscat (20:15)
Tuesday, 21 November 2023
Chinese Taipei vs Malaysia - Taipei Municipal Stadium, Taipei (16:30)
Kyrgyzstan vs Oman - Dolen Omurzakov Stadium, Bishkek (19:30)
Thursday, 21 March 2024
Chinese Taipei vs Kyrgyzstan (TBD)
Oman vs Malaysia (TBD)
Tuesday, 24 March 2024
Malaysia vs Oman (TBD)
Kyrgyzstan vs Chinese Taipei (TBD)
Thursday, 6 June 2024
Kyrgyzstan vs Malaysia (TBD)
Chinese Taipei vs Oman (TBD)
Tuesday, 11 June 2024
Oman vs Kyrgyzstan (TBD)
Malaysia vs Chinese Taipei (TBD)
Group E
Hong Kong
Iran
Turkmenistan
Uzbekistan
Fixtures
Thursday, 16 November 2023
Turkmenistan vs Uzbekistan - Ashgabat Stadium (19:30)
Iran vs Hong Kong - Azadi Stadium, Tehran (20:00)
Tuesday, 21 November 2023
Hong Kong vs Turkmenistan - Hong Kong Stadium, So Kon Po (17:30)
Uzbekistan vs Iran - Bunyodkor Stadium, Tashkent (18:30)
Thursday, 21 March 2024
Hong Kong vs Uzbekistan (TBD)
Iran vs Turkmenistan (TBD)
Tuesday, 24 March 2024
Uzbekistan vs Hong Kong (TBD)
Turkmenistan vs Iran (TBD)
Thursday, 6 June 2024
Uzbekistan vs Turkmenistan (TBD)
Hong Kong vs Iran (TBD)
Tuesday, 11 June 2024
Turkmenistan vs Hong Kong (TBD)
Iran vs Uzbekistan (TBD)
Group F
Indonesia
Iraq
Philippines
Vietnam
Fixtures
Thursday, 16 November 2023
Philippines vs Vietnam - Rizal Memorial Stadium, Manila (16:30)
Iraq vs Indonesia - Basra International Stadium, Basra (20:15)
Tuesday, 21 November 2023
Philippines vs Indonesia - Rizal Memorial Stadium, Manila (16:30)
Vietnam vs Iraq - Mỹ Đình National Stadium, Hanoi (17:30)
Thursday, 21 March 2024
Iraq vs Philippines (TBD)
Indonesia vs Vietnam (TBD)
Tuesday, 24 March 2024
Vietnam vs Indonesia (TBD)
Philippines vs Iraq (TBD)
Thursday, 6 June 2024
Vietnam vs Philippines (TBD)
Indonesia vs Iraq (TBD)
Group G
Jordan
Pakistan
Saudi Arabia
Tajikistan
Fixtures
Thursday, 16 November 2023
Tajikistan vs Jordan - Pamir Stadium, Dushanbe (18:30)
Saudi Arabia vs Pakistan - Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium, Al-Hasa (22:00)
Tuesday, 21 November 2023
Pakistan vs Tajikistan - Jinnah Sports Stadium, Islamabad (14:30)
Jordan vs Saudi Arabia - Amman International Stadium, Amman (21:30)
Thursday, 21 March 2024
Pakistan vs Jordan (TBD)
Saudi Arabia vs Tajikistan (TBD)
Tuesday, 24 March 2024
Jordan vs Pakistan (TBD)
Tajikistan vs Saudi Arabia (TBD)
Thursday, 6 June 2024
Jordan vs Tajikistan (TBD)
Pakistan vs Saudi Arabia (TBD)
Tuesday, 11 June 2024
Saudi Arabia vs Jordan (TBD)
Tajikistan vs Pakistan (TBD)
Group H
Bahrain
Nepal
UAE
Yemen
Fixtures
Thursday, 16 November 2023
UAE vs Nepal - Al-Maktoum Stadium, Dubai (21:15)
Yemen vs Bahrain - Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Stadium, Abha (23:30)
Tuesday, 21 November 2023
Nepal vs Yemen - Dasarath Stadium, Kathmandu (18:45)
Bahrain vs UAE - Bahrain National Stadium, Riffa (21:15)
Thursday, 21 March 2024
Nepal vs Bahrain (TBD)
UAE vs Yemen (TBD)
Tuesday, 24 March 2024
Bahrain vs Nepal (TBD)
Yemen vs UAE (TBD)
Thursday, 6 June 2024
Nepal vs UAE (TBD)
Bahrain vs Yemen (TBD)
Tuesday, 11 June 2024
Yemen vs Nepal (TBD)
UAE vs Bahrain (TBD)
Group I
Australia
Lebanon
Palestine
Bangladesh
Fixtures
Thursday, 16 November 2023
Australia vs Bangladesh - Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Melbourne (14:30)
Lebanon vs Palestine - Khalid Bin Mohammed Stadium, Sharjah (19:30)
Tuesday, 21 November 2023
Bangladesh vs Lebanon - Bashundhara Kings Arena, Dhaka (17:15)
Palestine vs Australia - Jaber al-Ahmad International Stadium, Kuwait City (19:30)
Thursday, 21 March 2024
Australia vs Lebanon (TBD)
Bangladesh vs Palestine (TBD)
Tuesday, 24 March 2024
Palestine vs Bangladesh (TBD)
Lebanon vs Australia (TBD)
Thursday, 6 June 2024
Bangladesh vs Australia (TBD)
Palestine vs Lebanon (TBD)
Tuesday, 11 June 2024
Australia vs Palestine (TBD)
Lebanon vs Bangladesh (TBD)
Note: All Timings are in Indian Standard Time (IST)
