Last month, India won the SAFF championship after defeating Kuwait on penalties. India won the SAFF championship for the eighth time, and with these victories, India is currently placed in AFC Group A for FIFA World Cup qualifying in 2026. India will compete in Group A against Qatar, Afghanistan, and Kuwait. This time, India is prepared to confront the best footballers in the world. The draw was held at the AFC house in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The AFC second round of FIFA World Cup qualifying for 2026 will include 36 teams divided into nine groups of four. They compete in a round robin format with home and away games. The top two teams will proceed to the third round of qualification and qualify for the 2027 Asian Cup, while the remaining teams will advance to the third round of qualification for the Asian Cup. Igor Stimac and company should aim for second place in the group.
Groups are followed: –
Group A: Qatar, India, Kuwait, Afghanistan/Mongolia.
Group B: Japan, Syria, North Korea, Myanmar/Macau.
Group C: South Korea, China, Thailand, Singapore/Guam.
Group D: Oman, Kyrgyz Republic, Malaysia, Chinese Taipei/Timor-Leste.
Group E: Iran, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Hong Kong China/Bhutan.
Group F: Iraq, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia/Brunei.
Group G: Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Tajikistan, Cambodia/Pakistan.
Group H: UAE, Bahrain, Yemen/Sri Lanka, Nepal/Laos.
Group I: Australia, Palestine, Lebanon, Maldives/Bangladesh.