The Socceroos journey towards the 2026 World Cup continues when they host Bahrain on the Gold Coast on Thursday.
Australia breezed through the second round of qualifying, winning every game without conceding a goal, but they will be given a tougher time this round as they come up against Japan and Saudi Arabia.
Their record in the third round of qualifying has been patchy in recent campaigns, both times finishing outside of the automatic qualification spots.
It is a fate Graham Arnold is desperate to avoid, and a winning start is crucial to getting good momentum ahead of tougher fixtures later in the year.
MORE: Socceroos World Cup qualifying fixtures, results | When is the Socceroos' next match?
What time is Socceroos vs. Bahrain in Australia?
The Socceroos clash on the Gold Coast begins at 8:10 p.m. AEST on Thursday, September 5th.
This corresponds to 7:40 p.m. in Adelaide, and 6:10 p.m. in Perth.
The match is being played at Robina Stadium, the first time the national team has ever played on the Gold Coast.
How to watch Socceroos vs. Bahrain: TV channel, live stream details
The Socceroos qualifier against Bahrain is available on free-to-air television in Australia, with the match being broadcast on Channel 10.
The game will also be available to be live streamed on 10Play, as well as on Paramount+.
| TV | Channel 10 |
|---|---|
| Live stream | 10Play, Paramount+ |
Socceroos 24-man squad for World Cup qualifiers
| Position | Name | Club | Caps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goalkeeper | Maty Ryan | AS Roma (Italy) | 93 | 0 |
| Goalkeeper | Joe Gauci | Aston Villa (England) | 4 | 0 |
| Goalkeeper | Paul Izzo | Randers (Denmark) | 0 | 0 |
| Defender | Aziz Behich | Melbourne City | 71 | 2 |
| Defender | Harry Souttar | Sheffield United (England) | 30 | 11 |
| Defender | Kye Rowles | Hearts (Scotland) | 21 | 1 |
| Defender | Cameron Burgess | Ipswich Town (England) | 9 | 0 |
| Defender | Lewis Miller | Hibernian (Scotland) | 6 | 0 |
| Defender | Thomas Deng | Albirex Niigata (Japan) | 4 | 0 |
| Defender | Alessandro Circati | Parma (Italy) | 2 | 0 |
| Midfielder | Jackson Irvine | St. Pauli (Germany) | 70 | 11 |
| Midfielder | Connor Metcalfe | St. Pauli (Germany) | 23 | 0 |
| Midfielder | Keanu Baccus | Mansfield Town (England) | 19 | 1 |
| Midfielder | Aiden O'Neill | Standard Liege (Belgium) | 13 | 0 |
| Midfielder | Cam Devlin | Hearts (Scotland) | 4 | 0 |
| Midfielder | Josh Nisbet | Ross County (Scotland) | 2 | 0 |
| Forward | Mitch Duke | Machida Zelvia | 40 | 12 |
| Forward | Awer Mabil | Grasshoppers (Switzerland) | 33 | 9 |
| Forward | Martin Boyle | Hibernian (Scotland) | 29 | 9 |
| Forward | Craig Goodwin | Al-Wehda (Saudi Arabia) | 25 | 6 |
| Forward | Adam Taggart | Perth Glory | 19 | 7 |
| Forward | Kusini Yengi | Portsmouth (England) | 8 | 4 |
| Forward | Sam Silvera | Portsmouth (England) | 6 | 0 |
| Forward | Nestory Irankunda | Bayern Munich (Germany) | 2 | 1 |
Socceroos World Cup qualifiers in September
The Socceroos will first host Bahrain on the Gold Coast on September 5, before travelling to near neighbours Indonesia on September 10.
| Date | Fixture | Venue |
| 5 September 2024 | Socceroos vs Bahrain | Robina Stadium |
| 10 September 2024 | Indonesia vs Socceroos | Gelora Bung Tomo Stadium |
