The Chinese national team faces a formidable challenge in the third round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian qualifying tournament.
During the drawing ceremony held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the 18 remaining Asian teams were divided into three groups competing for 8.5 spots in the World Cup finals.
China finds itself in Group C alongside strong contenders Japan, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Indonesia, marking it as the group of death.
Coach Branko Ivankovic acknowledged the difficulty of the draw, stating, \"Yes, it's a tough draw for us. It's the toughest group compared to the A and B groups, but this is something we expected because we were in the fifth pot and we know that we cannot find a weak team. In these 18 teams, there is no weak team.\"
The top two teams from each group will secure direct qualification to the 2026 World Cup. Teams placed third and fourth will advance to the next round of qualifiers, where they will compete in two groups of three teams in a single-round format. The winners of these groups will earn their spots in the World Cup.
Additionally, the two second-placed teams from the fourth round will face each other in a two-legged playoff for a chance to enter the intercontinental playoff, offering one final opportunity to secure a place in the World Cup.
Reference(s):
China drawn into toughest group of FIFA World Cup Asian qualifiers
cgtn.com
