The draw for the joint qualifiers of the FIFA World Cup 2026 and AFC Asian Cup 2027 took place on July 27 in Malaysia.
India have been clubbed in Group A alongside reigning champions Qatar, Kuwait and the winner of Afghanistan and Mongolia.
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India recently faced Kuwait twice in the SAFF Championship out of which they drew once in the group stage and won the final in penalties.
India had faced Qatar in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers as well.
Which pot does India occupy in the FIFA World Cup 2026 AFC qualifiers?
Due to their recent success in international football, India witnessed a rise in their FIFA rankings to 99. That has helped India secure the pot 2 in the World Cup qualifiers.
Teams in Pot 4 will play in first round and the winners will progress to Round 2.
| Pot 1 | Pot 2 | Pot 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Japan | Uzbekistan | Lebanon |
| Iran | China | Tajikistan |
| Australia | Jordan | Thailand |
| South Korea | Bahrain | North Korea |
| Saudi Arabia | Syria | Phillipines |
| Qatar | Vietnam | Malaysia |
| Iraq | Palestine | Kuwait |
| UAE | Kyrgyz Republic | Turkmenistan |
| Oman | India |
| Pot 4 |
|---|
| Afghanistan vs Mongolia |
| Maldives vs Bangladesh |
| Singapore vs Guam |
| Yemen vs Sri Lanka |
| Myanmar vs Macau |
| Cambodia vs Pakistan |
| Chinese Taipei vs Timor-Leste |
| Indonesia vs Brunei |
| Hong Kong vs Bhutan |
| Nepal vs Laos |
FIFA World Cup 2026 AFC qualifiers groups
| Group A | Group B | Group C | Group D |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qatar | Japan | South Korea | Oman |
| India | Syria | China | Kyrgyz Republic |
| Kuwait | North Korea | Thailand | Malaysia |
| Afghanistan/Mongolia | Myanmar/Macau | Singapore/Guam | Chinese Taipei/Timor Leste |
| Group E | Group F | Group G | Group H | Group I |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iran | Iraq | Saudi Arabia | UAE | Australia |
| Uzbekistan | Vietnam | Jordan | Bahrain | Palestine |
| Turkmenistan | Phillipines | Tajikistan | Yemen/Sri Lanka | Lebanon |
| Hong Kong/Bhutan | Indonesia/Brunei | Cambodia/Pakistan | Nepal/Laos | Maldives/Bangladesh |
Which teams will qualify for the Asian Cup 2027?
The top two teams from each group will secure a direct qualification to the group stages of the Asian Cup 2027.
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