How Asian nations have fared in the play-offs
Iraq are bidding to become the third straight AFC nation to have advanced from the play-offs when they face Bolivia on Tuesday.
Iraq face Bolivia in the final of the FIFA Play-Off Tournament on Tuesday
Success would see nine AFC nations feature at the forthcoming FIFA World Cup
Asia's record in play-off matches has been mixed down the years
On Tuesday evening in Monterrey, the Lions of Mesopotamia will carry not just the hopes of 46 million Iraqis but those of the entire Asian continent. Should they see off Bolivia in the final of the FIFA Play-Off Tournament that would secure a record ninth AFC slot at the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026™.
In one form or another Asian involvement in the FIFA World Cup™ stretches right back to the very genesis of the tournament. For the inaugural edition in 1930, the confederation’s two affiliated members, Japan and Siam (modern-day Thailand) were invited to participate (at the only edition without qualification) but opted not to enter due to the prohibitive travel and costs involved.
In 1938, the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) became the first Asian nation to feature at the global showpiece although they did so without having to play a qualification match after their two opponents, Japan and then USA, withdrew from those preliminary fixtures.
A slew of withdrawals from the 1950 qualifiers saw India awarded the lone slot reserved for Asian nations although they declined to participate in the tournament proper. That meant that it wasn’t until 14 March 1954, two months prior to the formation of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), that an Asian nation first qualified on merit as Korea Republic defeated Japan across two legs in Tokyo.
It was in advance of Sweden 1958 that an AFC member featured for the first time in a play-off as Israel (now part of UEFA) lost 4-0 to Wales over two legs. Four years later Korea Republic were no match for a Yugoslavia side that thrashed them 8-2 on aggregate in the UEFA-AFC play-off.
Over the following three decades, the AFC had either standalone direct berths or a co- berth as part of a larger preliminary phase with nations from Africa and Oceania. That meant that it wasn’t until the qualifiers for France 1998 that the region again featured in a play-off fixture.
On that occasion, it was a dramatic success for IR Iran against their soon-to-be AFC brethren Australia, featuring current Iraq coach Graham Arnold, with Team Melli qualifying on the away goals rule after an aggregate 3-3 draw. Fortunes were flipped four years later as Iran were unable to overturn a first-leg loss in a 2-1 aggregate defeat at the hands of the Republic of Ireland.
There was back-to-back heartbreak for Bahrain as they lost narrowly against Trinidad and Tobago and then New Zealand in the 2006 and 2010 play-offs respectively.
Having been paired with nations from UEFA, Concacaf and then OFC over the three previous play-offs, for Brazil 2014 it was a CONMEBOL foe that Asia would need to overcome. The run of outs continued there as Uruguay overpowered Jordan 5-0 on aggregate.
Australia finally broke though with play-off successes for both Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022 (with Arnold at the helm as coach). The Socceroos earned a 3-1 aggregate win against Honduras in the former while some wiggly Andrew Redmayne penalty heroics helped secure a shoot-out win against Peru in the latter.
It’s now over to Iraq as Asia bids for a third consecutive play-off triumph.
France 1998 | IR Iran: Defeated Australia on away goals after 3-3 aggregate draw
Russia 2018 | Australia: Defeated Honduras 3-1 on aggregate
Qatar 2022 | Australia: Defeated Peru on penalties after 0-0 draw in a one-off fixture
Sweden 1958 | Israel: Lost 4-0 on aggregate against Wales
Chile 1962 | Korea Republic: Lost 8-2 on aggregate against Yugoslavia
Korea/Japan 2002 | IR Iran: Lost 2-1 on aggregate against Republic of Ireland
Germany 2006 | Bahrain: Lost 2-1 on aggregate against Trinidad and Tobago
South Africa 2010 | Bahrain: Lost 1-0 on aggregate against New Zealand
Brazil 2014 | Jordan: Lost 5-0 on aggregate against Uruguay