FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier Archives

South Africa hold Nigeria for draw in FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier

UYO: South Africa held Nigeria for a 1-1 draw on Friday at Godswill Akpabio International Stadium to keep the Super Eagles without a victory in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier.

The stalemate saw Nigeria drop to fourth in Group C with three points from as many matches with South Africa third on four points.

Minnows Lesotho ranked 149th in the world, are top of the Group C standings with five points on the back of a 2-0 win over Zimbabwe earlier on Friday.

Rwanda are second with four points and a better goal difference than both Benin and South Africa.

Friday’s match in the southern Nigerian town of Uyo was a repeat of the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations semi-final in the Ivory Coast, which also ended 1-1 before Nigeria won on penalties.

The hosts started brightly with Paul Onuachu, Ademola Lookman and Benjamin Tanimu having shots at goal in the first half.

South Africa gradually settled into the game. A Teboho Mokoena free kick brushed off the crossbar with Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali beaten.

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The visitors were rewarded in the 29th minute when Themba Zwane took on the Nigerian defence on his own before he fired home the opening goal.

Tanimu came to the rescue of the Super Eagles after 36 minutes, when goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali was beaten by a chipped effort, but the Tanzania-based defender headed to safety.

But Alex Iwobi teed up Fisayo Dele-Bashiru for the equaliser after the break as Bafana Bafana often tore through the Nigerian defence.

Both sides had their chances to break the deadlock in the second half.

South Africa continued to pour forward, but Elias Mokwana failed to finish off another sleek attacking move while visiting goalkeeper Ronwen Williams cleared an Onuachu header.

And Williams denied Atalanta forward Lookman in stoppage time when he turned away a goal-bound effort for a corner.

Group C remains wide open with Nigeria, two points adrift of Lesotho in fifth place, hoping to register their first win away against Benin on Monday, with South Africa playing at home against Zimbabwe on Tuesday.

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FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers: Saudi Arabia football team arrives in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The Saudi Arabia football team landed here on Wednesday ahead of their FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers match against Pakistan, scheduled to be played at the Jinnah Stadium on June 6.

The Saudi Arabian team was warmly welcomed by the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) officials as well as KSA ambassador Nawaf Bin-Said Al-Malki at Islamabad International Airport.

The visiting team reached here on a chartered flight, accompanied by renowned manager Roberto Mancini and assistant coach Yaya Toure.

Notably, PFF named a 24-member squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers clash against Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.

The national team will have the services of former Manchester United youngster and Grimsby Town attacking midfielder Otis Khan, who will lead the team’s attack that features Mckael Abdullah, Imran Kayani, Fareed Ullah, Shayek Dost and Adeel Younas.

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Notably, the captain and lead defender Easah Suliman was not named in the Pakistan squad as he is planning to perform Hajj.

Besides him, goalkeeper Adam Khan, who participated in the national team’s training camp, also failed to make a cut.

For the unversed, Pakistan are at the bottom of Group G as they lost all four matches in the second round of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers.

Pakistan had an unwanted start to their second-round campaign as they succumbed to a 4-0 defeat against Saudi Arabia in November, followed by a 6-1 thrashing at the hands of Tajikistan at Islamabad in the same month.

The national football team then lost to Jordan 3-0 in the home leg of the qualifiers at Jinnah Stadium before they were humbled 7-0 at the Amman International Stadium.

After Saudi Arabia, Pakistan next face Tajikistan in their final group match in the second round of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers.

READ: Pakistan’s sports icons show support for national team’s T20 World Cup campaign

Asian heavyweights win big to launch World Cup qualifying in style

Asia’s footballing heavyweights made fast starts to the FIFA World Cup Qualifier on Thursday with Australia, Japan and South Korea plundering 17 goals between them in big wins on home soil.

The long road to the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico began in earnest in Asia with 36 teams in action Thursday.

Australia, who reached the last 16 at the Qatar 2022 World Cup before bowing out 2-1 to Lionel Messi and eventual champions Argentina, hammered Bangladesh 7-0 in Melbourne.

It was Australia’s biggest victory since 2019 and the perfect present for Graham Arnold, who took charge for the 59th time, a record for a Socceroos coach.

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Substitute Jamie Maclaren hit a second-half hat-trick in front of nearly 21,000 and it could have been even worse for Bangladesh but Massimo Luongo missed a late penalty.

“Seven goals, but it could have been more, for me too, but three points and we move on,” said Melbourne City striker Maclaren.

“I’m not even sure (goalkeeper) Maty (Ryan) had a save to make so proud of the team, but we obviously know the next games are going to be harder.”

Australia are in Group I alongside Palestine and Lebanon, who meet in Sharjah.

In Group B, Ayase Ueda also scored a hat-trick as Japan got their bid to reach an eighth straight World Cup off to an emphatic start with a 5-0 win over Myanmar.

The hosts were missing injured Brighton winger Kaoru Mitoma but Feyenoord striker Ueda picked up the slack with a ruthless display of finishing in Osaka.

Daichi Kamada and Ritsu Doan also got on the scoresheet as Japan took early control of a qualifying group that also includes North Korea and Syria.

Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu demanded even more from his side despite their handsome victory in the World Cup qualifier.

“We had chances to score more goals,” said Moriyasu, who took Japan to the last 16 at the Qatar World Cup following stunning wins over Germany and Spain.

Not to be outdone, Jurgen Klinsmann went a little way towards silencing the doubters in South Korea as his side strolled to a 5-0 thumping of Singapore in Seoul.

Tottenham Hotspur forward Son Heung-min was among the goal-scorers, and it was a cracker, bending the ball left-footed into the top corner from outside the box.

Hwang Hee-chan of Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier headed home for his second goal in as many matches for his country.

“A huge compliment to the team, a very professional performance,” German legend and South Korea coach Klinsmann said.

“Five-nil is a nice scoreline to read but it doesn’t really show you the energy and effort you have to invest in order to get to that scoreline,” he added.

Also in Group C, Wang Shangyuan scored 16 minutes from time to give China a 2-1 win in Thailand and join South Korea at the top of the early standings.

China host South Korea on Tuesday.

In Group F, Vietnam beat the Philippines 2-0 away.

A record eight direct spots and one intercontinental playoff berth are at stake for 2026 for Asian Football Confederation sides, from nine groups of four.

The top two from each group go through to the final qualifying round in Asia.

Among World Cup qualifier games later Thursday, Saudi Arabia host Pakistan, Iran take on Hong Kong and Qatar play Afghanistan.

READ: Pakistan’s lineup for FIFA WC 2026 Qualifiers against Saudi Arabia