Tashkent, Uzbekistan, June 8, 2025: Uzbekistan and Jordan have qualified for their first FIFA World Cup, while South Korea has also secured their place at the tournament.
The trio will join Japan and Iran as the other Asian teams presently in the expanded 48-team football World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico in 2026.
There are three more berths open for Asian teams, and possibly a fourth through intercontinental playoffs.
Uzbekistan drew 0-0 with the United Arab Emirates while Korea beat Iraq 2-0 to qualify for their 11th straight World Cup, a result that meant Jordan’s 3-0 win against Oman confirmed their historic qualification.
Ranked 57th in the world, Uzbekistan have qualified for every Asian Cup finals since 1996 and progressed to the knockout stage in each appearance since 2004, including a run to the semi-finals in 2011 and the quarterfinals last year.
Asian Cup runners-up Jordan are ranked 62nd in the world. The closest they have come to qualifying previously was losing an intercontinental playoff to Uruguay in 2014.
The success of both Jordan and Uzbekistan was welcomed deliriously by their fans with the red carpet rolled out by government officials in both countries.
