Uzbekistan and Jordan have certified for his or her first World Cups, whereas South Korea have additionally secured their place on the match.
They develop into the eighth, ninth and tenth groups to substantiate their spots on the expanded 48-team match in United States, Canada and Mexico in 2026.
The three hosts have certified robotically, whereas the most recent trio to qualify be part of Japan, New Zealand, Iran and Argentina.
Uzbekistan drew 0-0 with the United Arab Emirates whereas South Korea beat Iraq 2-0 later within the day to qualify for his or her eleventh straight World Cup, a consequence that meant Jordan’s 3-0 win in opposition to Oman confirmed their historic qualification.
Ranked 57th on the earth and, with a inhabitants of 36 million, Uzbekistan performed their first match as a sovereign nation in June 1992 after leaving the Soviet Union, and have been accepted by world governing physique Fifa two years later.
The closest Uzbekistan got here beforehand to qualifying was throughout a controversial marketing campaign in 2006, once they have been in a two-legged playoff in opposition to Bahrain to find out who can be the Asian Soccer Confederation’s consultant to face Concacaf’s Trinidad and Tobago. The winner of that match would then qualify for the finals in Germany.
Uzbekistan received the primary leg 1-0, however a refereeing error led to Fifa ordering the match be performed once more, they usually in the end misplaced out on away targets.
The Uzbeks, nevertheless, have certified for each Asian Cup finals since 1996 and progressed to the knockout part in every look since 2004, together with a run to the semi-finals in 2011 and the quarter-finals final 12 months.
Asian Cup runners up Jordan are ranked 62nd on the earth and are competing of their seventh World Cup qualifiers, since their first in 1986.
The closest they’ve beforehand come to qualifying was dropping an intercontinental play-off to Uruguay in 2014.
So how does World Cup qualifying work?
