2022 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)#First Round

The qualification structure is as follows:{{cite news|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1471045/pakistan-to-learn-world-cup-asian-cup-qualifying-fate-on-april-17|title=Pakistan to learn World Cup, Asian Cup qualifying fate on April 17|work=Dawn.com|date=22 March 2019}}

• First round: 12 teams (ranked 35–46) played home-and-away over two legs. The six winners advanced to the second round.
• Second round: 40 teams (ranked 1–34 and six first-round winners) were divided into eight groups of five teams to play home-and-away round-robin matches. The eight group winners and the four best group runners-up advanced to the third round. Since Qatar won their group, the fifth-best runners-up took their place in the third round.{{cite news |url=http://www.the-afc.com/competitions/fifa-world-cup/latest/news/groups-finalised-for-qatar-2022-china-2023-race|title=Groups finalised for Qatar 2022 & China 2023 race|publisher=Asian Football Confederation|date=17 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190720110605/https://www.the-afc.com/competitions/fifa-world-cup/latest/news/groups-finalised-for-qatar-2022-china-2023-race|archive-date=20 July 2019|url-status=dead}}
• Third round: 12 teams which advanced from the second round were divided into two groups of six teams to play home-and-away round-robin matches. The top two teams of each group qualified for the World Cup, and the third-placed teams advanced to the fourth round.
• Fourth round: Two third-placed teams from the third round played a single match. The winner advanced to the inter-confederation play-offs.

All 46 FIFA-affiliated nations from the AFC entered qualification. The FIFA World Rankings of April 2019 were used to determine which nations would compete in the first round. For seeding in the second round and third round draws, the most recent FIFA Rankings prior to those draws will be used.

According to the joint format of the World Cup and Asian Cup qualifiers, both Qatar (as the host nation of the 2022 World Cup) and also entered the second round of the qualifiers.{{cite news|last1=Palmer|first1=Dan|title=Hosts Qatar to compete in qualifying for 2022 World Cup|url=http://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1053493/hosts-qatar-to-compete-in-qualifying-for-2022-world-cup|date=31 July 2017|work=inside the games}}

Timor-Leste was banned from participating in the Asian Cup qualification after being found to have fielded a total of 12 ineligible players in 2019 AFC Asian Cup qualification matches among other competitions.{{cite web|title=Federação Futebol Timor-Leste expelled from AFC Asian Cup 2023|url=http://www.the-afc.com/media/federacao-futebol-timor-leste-expelled-from-afc-asian-cup-2023-34508|publisher=Asian Football Confederation|date=20 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180901234306/https://www.the-afc.com/media/federacao-futebol-timor-leste-expelled-from-afc-asian-cup-2023-34508|archive-date=1 September 2018|url-status=dead}} However, as FIFA did not ban them from the World Cup qualifiers, Timor-Leste was allowed to enter the competition, but ineligible to qualify for the Asian Cup.{{cite web|title=Road to Qatar 2022: Asian teams discover Round 1 opponents|url=http://www.the-afc.com/competitions/fifa-world-cup/latest/news/road-to-qatar-2022-asian-teams-discover-round-1-opponents|publisher=Asian Football Confederation|date=17 April 2019|access-date=28 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190720212742/https://www.the-afc.com/competitions/fifa-world-cup/latest/news/road-to-qatar-2022-asian-teams-discover-round-1-opponents|archive-date=20 July 2019|url-status=dead}}

The schedule of the competition is expected to be as follows, according to the FIFA International Match Calendar.{{cite web|url=http://www.the-afc.com/afc/documents/PdfFiles/afc-competitions-calendar-2019|publisher=Asian Football Confederation|title=AFC Competitions Calendar 2019|format=PDF|date=21 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190715163628/http://www.the-afc.com/afc/documents/PdfFiles/afc-competitions-calendar-2019|archive-date=15 July 2019|url-status=dead|access-date=12 January 2019}}{{cite web|url=http://www.the-afc.com/afc/documents/PdfFiles/afc-competitions-calendar-2020|publisher=AFC|title=AFC Competitions Calendar 2020|format=PDF|date=25 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201004141026/https://www.the-afc.com/afc/documents/PdfFiles/afc-competitions-calendar-2020|archive-date=4 October 2020|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=https://assets.the-afc.com/migration/a/f/afc-competitions-calendar-2021 |publisher=Asian Football Confederation|title=AFC Competitions Calendar 2021|format=PDF|date=17 September 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://assets.the-afc.com/downloads/calendars/AFC-Competitions-Calendar-2022---as-at-Oct-20.pdf|publisher=Asian Football Confederation|title=AFC Competitions Calendar 2022|format=PDF|date=20 October 2021|access-date=30 October 2021|archive-date=5 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211105095409/https://assets.the-afc.com/downloads/calendars/AFC-Competitions-Calendar-2022---as-at-Oct-20.pdf|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=https://digitalhub.fifa.com/m/11f7fa1dc502361/original/Enclosure_Circular-1766_Updates-to-the-Men-s-International-Match-Calendar_EN.pdf|title=INTERNATIONAL MATCH CALENDAR 2020-2024 |publisher=FIFA|date=August 2021}}

On 9 March 2020, FIFA and AFC announced that the second round matches on matchdays 7–10 due to take place in March and June 2020 were postponed by the COVID-19 pandemic, with the new dates to be confirmed. However, subject to approval by FIFA and AFC, and agreement of both member associations, the matches may be played as scheduled provided that the safety of all individuals involved meets the required standards.{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/update-on-upcoming-fifa-world-cup-qualifiers|title=Update on upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifiers|publisher=FIFA|date=9 March 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://www.the-afc.com/competitions/afc-asian-cup/news/update-on-upcoming-fifa-world-cup-qualifiers|title=Update on upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifiers|publisher=Asian Football Confederation|date=9 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210105045636/https://www.the-afc.com/competitions/afc-asian-cup/news/update-on-upcoming-fifa-world-cup-qualifiers|archive-date=5 January 2021|url-status=dead}} On 5 June, AFC confirmed that matchdays 7 and 8 were scheduled to take place on 8 and 13 October respectively while matchdays 9 and 10 were also scheduled to kick off on 12 and 17 November.{{cite web|title=AFC announces proposed dates for upcoming Asian Qualifiers|url=https://www.the-afc.com/competitions/afc-asian-cup/news/afc-announces-proposed-dates-for-upcoming-asian-qualifiers|publisher=Asian Football Confederation|date=5 June 2020|access-date=5 June 2020}} On 12 August, FIFA announced that the matches scheduled for October and November 2020 would be rescheduled to 2021.{{cite news |url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/update-on-upcoming-fifa-world-cup-qualifiers-in-asia |title=Update on upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifiers in Asia |publisher=FIFA |date=12 August 2020 |access-date=12 August 2020}}

On 25 June 2020, FIFA announced that the inter-confederation play-offs, originally scheduled to be played in March 2022, were moved to June.{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/who-we-are/news/fifa-council-unanimously-approves-covid-19-relief-plan|title=FIFA Council unanimously approves COVID-19 Relief Plan |publisher=FIFA|date=25 June 2020}}

On 11 November 2020, the AFC Competitions Committee announced that all the Asian qualifiers second round matches should be completed by 15 June 2021 with matchdays 7 and 8 in March 2021 and matchdays 9 and 10 in June 2021 with the final round of the Asian qualifiers beginning in September 2021. Also all 10 matchdays of the Asian qualifiers final round should be finished by the end of March 2022 with the Asian and inter-continental play-offs proposed for the FIFA window of May/June 2022. The Asian play-off for the World Cup in Qatar was proposed as a single match.{{cite web|url=https://olympics.com/en/news/afc-asian-qualifiers-2022-fifa-world-cup-dates-june-2021-march-2022|title=2022 FIFA World Cup: Asian qualifiers to be completed by March 2022 |publisher=International Olympic Committee|date=12 November 2020}} On the same day, however, FIFA, along with the Bangladeshi and Qatari associations, gave approval to the only second round match originally scheduled for 2020, Qatar v. Bangladesh, which was played on 4 December.{{cite news |title=Qatar, Bangladesh to resume Asian qualifiers in December |url=https://www.the-afc.com/competitions/fifa-world-cup/latest/news/qatar-bangladesh-to-resume-asian-qualifiers-in-december |publisher=Asian Football Confederation |date=11 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210428135254/https://www.the-afc.com/competitions/fifa-world-cup/latest/news/qatar-bangladesh-to-resume-asian-qualifiers-in-december |archive-date=28 April 2021 |url-status=dead}}

On 19 February 2021, FIFA and AFC postponed the majority of the upcoming matches to June.{{cite news |url=https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/worldcup/qatar2022/media-releases/update-on-upcoming-asian-qualifiers-in-march-and-june |title=Update on upcoming Asian qualifiers in March and June |publisher=FIFA |date=19 February 2021 |access-date=19 February 2021}}

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{{Main|2022 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC first round}}

The draw for the first round was held on 17 April 2019 at 11:00 MST (UTC+8), at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/draw-sets-out-path-for-asian-aspirants|title=Draw sets out path for Asian aspirants |publisher=FIFA|date=17 April 2019}}

{{:2022 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC first round}}

{{Main|2022 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC second round}}

The draw for the second round was held on 17 July 2019 at 17:00 MST (UTC+8), at AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.{{cite news |url=http://www.the-afc.com/competitions/fifa-world-cup/latest/news/groups-finalised-for-qatar-2022-china-2023-race |title=Asian qualifiers draw to provide pathway to Qatar and China |publisher=Asian Football Confederation |date=17 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190720111137/http://www.the-afc.com/competitions/fifa-world-cup/latest/news/asian-qualifiers-draw-to-provide-pathway-to-qatar-and-china |archive-date=20 July 2019 |url-status=dead |access-date=22 August 2019 }}

{{legend|#BBF3BB|Qualified for the third round (except Qatar) and Asian Cup as winners or top five runners-up}}

{{legend|#BBF3FF|Advanced to the Asian Cup third qualifying round as bottom three runners-up, third-placed, fourth-placed and top three fifth-placed team}}

{{legend|#FFFFBB|Advanced to the AFC Asian Cup qualifying play-off round.}}

{{legend|#BBBBBB|Denotes a team that withdrew.}}

{{notelist|group="Second Round"}}

{{:2022 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC second round|transcludesection=Group A|show_matches=y}}

{{:2022 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC second round|transcludesection=Group B|show_matches=y}}

{{:2022 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC second round|transcludesection=Group C|show_matches=y}}

{{:2022 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC second round|transcludesection=Group D|show_matches=y}}

{{:2022 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC second round|transcludesection=Group E|show_matches=y}}

{{:2022 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC second round|transcludesection=Group F|show_matches=y}}

{{:2022 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC second round|transcludesection=Group G|show_matches=y}}

North Korea withdrew from the qualifying round due to safety concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic, therefore the results of their matches were excluded from the group standings.{{Cite web |url=https://www.the-afc.com/competitions/afc-asian-cup/news/latest-update-on-asian-qualifiers|title=Latest update on Asian Qualifiers|publisher=Asian Football Confederation|date=16 May 2021}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.the-afc.com/competitions/afc-asian-cup/news/latest-decision-on-asian-qualifiers|title=Latest decision on Asian Qualifiers|publisher=Asian Football Confederation|date=27 May 2021}}

{{:2022 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC second round|transcludesection=Group H|show_matches=y}}

Since North Korea withdrew from Group H, results against the fifth-placed teams of each group were not counted in determining the ranking of the runner-up teams.

{{:2022 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC second round|transcludesection=Second place}}

{{Main|2022 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC third round}}

The third round consisted of two groups of six teams. The first two teams in each group qualified for the World Cup. The two third-placed teams proceeded to the fourth round. The draw was held on 1 July 2021 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

{{:2022 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC third round|transcludesection=Group A|show_matches=y}}

{{:2022 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC third round|transcludesection=Group B|show_matches=y}}

{{Main|2022 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC fourth round}}

The two third-placed teams in each group from the third round played against each other in a single match to determine which team advanced to the inter-confederation play-offs.

The match was played in Qatar (host country of the World Cup) on 7 June 2022.

{{:2022 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC fourth round}}

{{Main|2022 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC–CONMEBOL play-off)}}

The inter-confederation play-offs was determined by a draw held on 26 November 2021. The AFC fourth round winners was drawn against the fifth-placed team from CONMEBOL qualification.{{cite news |url=https://www.fifa.com/news/european-and-intercontinental-play-off-draw-results-and-reaction |title=European and intercontinental play-off draw results and reaction |work=FIFA |date=26 November 2021 |access-date=26 November 2021}} The play-off was played also as a single match in Qatar on 13 June 2022.{{cite news |url=https://en.as.com/en/2021/11/26/soccer/1637955253_226019.html |title=2022 World Cup inter-confederation play-off draw: fixtures and format |last=Allen |first=William |work=as.com |date=26 November 2021 |access-date=30 November 2021}}

{{#lst:2022 FIFA World Cup qualification (inter-confederation play-offs)|playoff1}}

File:2022 World Cup AFC qualification.svg

The following six teams from AFC qualified for the final tournament.

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{{Clear}}

{{#invoke:Goalscorers|main|2022 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)|minimum=7}}

Below are full goalscorer lists for each round:

{{Div col|colwidth=22em}}

• First round
• Second round
• Third round
• Fourth round

{{div col end}}

• 2023 AFC Asian Cup qualification

{{reflist|group=note}}

{{reflist}}

• {{Official website|https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/worldcup/qatar2022/qualifiers|Official FIFA World Cup website}}
• [https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/worldcup/qatar2022/qualifiers/afc Qualifiers – Asia], FIFA.com
• [https://www.the-afc.com/en/national/fifa_world_cup FIFA World Cup], The-AFC.com

{{2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers}}

Afc

Category:FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)

Category:2019 in Asian football

Category:2020 in Asian football

Category:2021 in Asian football

Category:2022 in Asian football