Groups, Schedule for FIFA World Cup Asian Qualifiers Final Round announced

The final stage of the qualifiers in Asia are set to begin on September 2.

Asia's best learnt of their opponents following the conclusion of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers Final Round in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Thursday. The 12 teams were drawn into two groups with Japan, the continent's top team in the FIFA World Ranking, drawn in Group B while second-ranked Islamic Republic of Iran were drawn in Group A.

Iran, with five previous appearances at the global showpiece, will have Korea Republic, United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon for company in Group A. Japan, seeking a seventh consecutive appearance at the FIFA World Cup Finals, were joined in Group B by Australia, Saudi Arabia, China PR, Oman and Vietnam.

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Both groups promise to be sizzling affairs with Iran having to contend with a Korea Republic side seeking an 11th appearance at the FIFA World Cup Finals. UAE and Iraq have made the Finals once each while Syria and Lebanon will be seeking maiden appearances.

Group B promises to be equally thrilling with Australia and Saudi Arabia both having made the Finals five times previously and China once. Oman and Vietnam have never qualified for the global showpiece.

The respective group winners and runners-up at the FIFA World Cup Asian Qualifiers Final Round will seal their places for the global showpiece, while the third-placed teams will advance to the Asian playoff to determine the side that will advance to the intercontinental playoff.

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Here are the fixtures for the AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar:

Day/Date	Team 1		Team 2	Kick-Off	Venue
September 2, 2021	Iran	vs	Syria	TBC	TBC
"	Korea Republic	vs	Iraq	TBC	TBC
"	UAE	vs	Lebanon	TBC	TBC
September 7, 2021	Syria	vs	UAE	TBC	TBC
"	Lebanon	vs	Korea Republic	TBC	TBC
"	Iraq	vs	Iran	TBC	TBC
October 7, 2021	UAE	vs	Iran	TBC	TBC
"	Iraq	vs	Lebanon	TBC	TBC
"	Korea Republic	vs	Syria	TBC	TBC
October 12, 2021	Syria	vs	Lebanon	TBC	TBC
"	UAE	vs	Iraq	TBC	TBC
"	Iran	vs	Korea Republic	TBC	TBC
November 11, 2021	Iraq	vs	Syria	TBC	TBC
"	Lebanon	vs	Iran	TBC	TBC
"	Korea Republic	vs	UAE	TBC	TBC
November 16, 2021	Syria	vs	Iran	TBC	TBC
"	Iraq	vs	Korea Republic	TBC	TBC
"	Lebanon	vs	UAE	TBC	TBC
January 27, 2022	UAE	vs	Syria	TBC	TBC
"	Korea Republic	vs	Lebanon	TBC	TBC
"	Iran	vs	Iraq	TBC	TBC
February 1, 2022	Iran	vs	UAE	TBC	TBC
"	Lebanon	vs	Iraq	TBC	TBC
"	Syria	vs	Korea Republic	TBC	TBC
March 24, 2022	Lebanon	vs	Syria	TBC	TBC
"	Iran	vs	UAE	TBC	TBC
"	Korea Republic	vs	Iran	TBC	TBC
March 29, 2022	Syria	vs	Iraq	TBC	TBC
"	Iran	vs	Lebanon	TBC	TBC
"	UAE	vs	Korea Republic	TBC	TBC

Day/Date	Team 1		Team 2	Kick-Off	Venue
September 2, 2021	Japan	vs	Oman	TBC	TBC
"	Australia	vs	China	TBC	TBC
"	Saudi Arabia	vs	Vietnam	TBC	TBC
September 7, 2021	Oman	vs	Saudi Arabia	TBC	TBC
"	Vietnam	vs	Australia	TBC	TBC
"	China	vs	Japan	TBC	TBC
October 7, 2021	Saudi Arabia	vs	Japan	TBC	TBC
"	China	vs	Vietnam	TBC	TBC
"	Australia	vs	Oman	TBC	TBC
October 12, 2021	Oman	vs	Vietnam	TBC	TBC
"	Saudi Arabia	vs	China	TBC	TBC
"	Japan	vs	Australia	TBC	TBC
November 11, 2021	China	vs	Oman	TBC	TBC
"	Vietnam	vs	Japan	TBC	TBC
"	Australia	vs	Saudi Arabia	TBC	TBC
November 16, 2021	Oman	vs	Japan	TBC	TBC
"	China	vs	Australia	TBC	TBC
"	Vietnam	vs	Saudi Arabia	TBC	TBC
January 27, 2022	Saudi Arabia	vs	Oman	TBC	TBC
"	Australia	vs	Vietnam	TBC	TBC
"	Japan	vs	China	TBC	TBC
February 1, 2022	Japan	vs	Saudi Arabia	TBC	TBC
"	Vietnam	vs	China	TBC	TBC
"	Oman	vs	Australia	TBC	TBC
March 24, 2022	Vietnam	vs	Oman	TBC	TBC
"	China	vs	Saudi Arabia	TBC	TBC
"	Australia	vs	Japan	TBC	TBC
March 29, 2022	Oman	vs	China	TBC	TBC
"	Japan	vs	Vietnam	TBC	TBC
"	Saudi Arabia	vs	Australia	TBC	TBC

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Based on the special FIFA Ranking released for Asian teams on June 18, top seeds Japan and the Iran were placed in Pot 1 of the draw, with Pot 2 comprising Australia and Korea Republic while Pot 3 had Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Pot 4 contained Iraq and China PR, followed by Oman and Syria in Pot 5 and debutants Vietnam and Lebanon in Pot 6.

The Final Round of the FIFA World Cup Asian Qualifiers is scheduled to be played on the following 10 match days: September 2 and 7, October 7 and 12, and November 11 and 16, 2021, as well as January 27 and February 1, 2022, before reaching its climax on March 24 and 29, 2022.

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