Australia book 2026 World Cup spot after win over Saudi Arabia | OneFootball

Australia have booked their place at a sixth consecutive World Cup after a 2-1 win over Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.

The Socceroos only needed to avoid a heavy defeat at the King Abdullah Sports Complex to confirm qualification and they did just that, coming from behind to get the job done.

After falling behind to a first-half goal from Abdulrahman Al-Obud, Australia responded with strikes from Connor Metcalfe and Mitchell Duke to flip the match on its head.

The hosts kept the pressure on, seeing more of the ball and pushing hard for an equaliser. They were handed a lifeline late on when Salem Al-Dawsari won a penalty. But former Brighton and Arsenal goalie Mathew Ryan, making his 100th appearance for the national team, came up with a brilliant save to deny them and ensure Australia left with all three points.

The remaining two automatic spots from Asia will be decided in October, when the six teams finishing third and fourth in their groups - Oman, Qatar, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Indonesia - face off.

Including co-hosts the USA, Canada, and Mexico, eight nations have now confirmed their place at next year’s World Cup. From the AFC, Australia join Iran, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, and Uzbekistan, while Argentina and New Zealand are also heading to the tournament.