Players eye the ball during a World Cup qualifying match.

RIYADH, Oct 7: Arab teams are already guaranteed at least one spot in the 2026 World Cup finals ahead of the decisive fourth round of Asian qualifiers.

The playoff stage begins today, with Group A featuring host Qatar, Oman, and the UAE, and Group B including host Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Indonesia. The matches will run from October 8 to 15.

In today’s fixtures, Qatar takes on Oman at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, Al-Sadd Club, at 6:00 PM. At the same time, Saudi Arabia faces Indonesia at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah at 8:30 PM.

Qatar aims to bounce back from its third-round setbacks, seeking victories over Oman and the UAE to secure another spot at the World Cup.

Oman, meanwhile, is pursuing a historic qualification to the World Cup for the first time.

In the other match, Saudi Arabia faces Indonesia, the only team that started its campaign from the first round and advanced steadily. Indonesia’s sole previous World Cup appearance was in 1938, under the name Dutch East Indies.

Three days later, Iraq (ranked 58th) will play its opening match against Indonesia, aiming for its second World Cup qualification since 1986.