Japan and Australia Qualify Directly, Indonesia Advances to World Cup 2026 Playoffs

Group C of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian Qualifiers has officially concluded, with Japan and Australia securing direct spots in the World Cup finals. Meanwhile, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia move forward to the inter-confederation playoff round.

In their final group match at Panasonic Stadium Suita, Japan delivered a commanding performance, defeating Indonesia 6-0. The win allowed the Samurai Blue to bounce back from their earlier defeat against Australia, closing their campaign as Group C leaders.

Although the match had no bearing on qualification standings, Indonesia missed the opportunity to gain FIFA ranking points, which could have improved their global position ahead of the playoffs.

China ends on a high note, Bahrain exits quietly

In another Group C match, China defeated Bahrain 1-0 at Chongqing Longxing Football Stadium. The narrow victory helped the Dragons avoid finishing at the bottom of the table. However, both China and Bahrain had already been eliminated from contention before kickoff.

As Group C wraps up, attention now shifts to the playoff paths for Indonesia and Saudi Arabia, who will battle for a final ticket to the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.