Saudi Arabia and Indonesia meet in AFC mini-round for 2026 World Cup

Saudi Arabia and Indonesia meet on Wednesday at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah as the Asian Football Confederation begins a brief, decisive fourth round of 2026 World Cup qualifying that will determine the last two direct Asian slots for next year's tournament. The three-team mini-tournaments run from October 8 to 14, with Saudi Arabia hosting Group B alongside Iraq and Indonesia, and Qatar hosting Group A consisting of Qatar, Oman and the United Arab Emirates. The winners of each group will qualify directly for the 2026 World Cup, while the runners-up will contest a two-legged playoff on November 13 and 18 for a place in the intercontinental playoff.

Only one match separates Indonesia and Saudi Arabia this week, but the stakes are high. Saudi Arabia, seeking a third consecutive World Cup appearance and a seventh overall, were beaten 2-1 by Australia in their final third-round fixture and arrive having drawn and won friendlies in the September window. Indonesia advanced from the earlier rounds and come off mixed form in June and friendlies in September, including a 6-0 victory over Chinese Taipei and a goalless draw with Lebanon.

Indonesia beat Saudi Arabia 2-0 in November...