Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – The Saudi Arabian national football team officially qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Finals on Tuesday, following a goalless draw against Iraq at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah. The match was the third and final fixture in Group B of the Asian Playoff round.
The draw saw both Saudi Arabia and Iraq raise their points tally to four. However, the Saudi team, led by coach Hervé Renard, topped the group due to a superior goal difference, securing their place in the World Cup for the seventh time in their history.
Iraq will now face the UAE, who finished second in Group A, in a home-and-away playoff tie on November 13th and 18th. The winner of this tie will represent Asia in the inter-confederation playoffs for one final chance to reach the World Cup. Iraq has qualified for the World Cup once before, in 1986.
