Despite an initial surge of hope, teams from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) faced a disappointing outcome at the 2026 World Cup, with all nine participating nations eliminated by the Round of 32. This marks the sixth consecutive World Cup where no AFC squad managed to secure a victory in the knockout stage, highlighting a persistent gap in global football.
The tournament began promisingly for Asia, with South Korea securing an electrifying victory over the Czech Republic. For the first four days, AFC teams remained undefeated, largely through a series of draws. However, fortunes quickly turned on the sixth day, leading to a cascade of losses.
The expanded World Cup format allowed for a record nine teams from the AFC to compete. Yet, seven of these—South Korea, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Uzbekistan—were sent home after the group stage. Australia and Japan, the remaining two, were eliminated in the Round of 32. This made the AFC the first significant confederation to see all its teams exit the tournament, with the Oceania Football Confederation (represented by New Zealand) also eliminated in the group stage.
Overall, AFC teams managed only three wins out of 29 matches played. Paul Williams, co-founder of the online news outlet The Asian Game, based in Australia, commented on the performance: “What it showed is that Asian football can be competitive to a level, but there is still a gap that still needs to be bridged between Asia and the rest of the world.”
South Korea, the second-highest ranked team in its group, emerged as the biggest disappointment among the AFC nations. Following their initial win, the Taeguk Warriors reportedly became increasingly disorganized, failing to perform in subsequent games against Mexico and South Africa. This quick exit has ignited a significant reckoning within South Korea’s football community, fueled by intense anger over accusations of favoritism and cronyism in the appointment of coach Hong Myung-bo. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung called for an investigation into the matter, leading to the resignations of Hong and Chung Mong-gyu, the head of the Korea Football Association. South Korea's best World Cup finish remains fourth place in 2002, a squad that included Hong.
Han June, a sports journalist in South Korea and founder of Football-Asian.com, attributed South Korea's failure to multiple factors: “In truth, there were just so many reasons behind the Korean national team's failure this time. The team couldn't really come together as one, and their tactics and strategy were lacking.” He added, “The coach fell short, the players fell short, and the overall organization and management fell short.”
Other Asian teams also faced challenges. Qatar and Saudi Arabia, despite significant investments in football, fell short of expectations. World Cup debutants Jordan and Uzbekistan did not secure any wins but delivered memorable moments, with Jordan scoring against Argentina and Uzbekistan against Colombia. Iraq, returning to the tournament after 40 years, faced a particularly tough draw against Senegal, France, and Norway. Japan, after advancing, ultimately lost 2-1 to Brazil in the Round of 32, having been set to face either Brazil or Morocco. Australia's journey ended in a nail-biting penalty shootout after drawing with Egypt.
Iran's national team faced unique hurdles due to the U.S. war with Iran, which began in late February. The conflict led to the suspension of Iran's domestic football league, preventing many athletes from competitive play for months. Arya Nourizadeh, an Iranian-Canadian co-hosting the podcast Asian Football Show, noted, “I would say the team that was probably the most underprepared and it breaks my heart to say this, I think is very obvious, it's Iran.” Despite all three of Iran's matches ending in draws, showcasing their strength, it was not enough to advance.
The shortcomings are not due to a lack of passion for football in Asia, a region with a deep history with the sport, largely influenced by European colonialism. The Gulf nations, for instance, represent football's fastest-growing market, according to Abdullah Al-Arian, an editor of Football in the Middle East: State, Society, and the Beautiful Game and a history professor at Georgetown University in Qatar.
However, Ben Weinberg, a former sports researcher based in Germany who has written about the AFC, points out that the professionalization of the sport came relatively late in many Asian countries. He explained, “Europe and South America accumulated generations of elite coaching, competition and football culture.” The AFC, formed in 1954, has evolved significantly, but it oversees 47 member associations, from China to Australia and Lebanon to Japan, presenting a unique challenge due to the enormous variation in economic, political, and footballing conditions. Weinberg questions whether the AFC should aim to raise standards broadly or prioritize a select few teams with the most potential, noting that “Those objectives do not always point in exactly the same direction” and that broad investment “may actually reduce the resources available for high-performance programs focused on the continent's leading nations.” He ultimately concludes that much of the sporting performance is determined at the domestic level, as national associations develop players and coaches.
Experts suggest that for Asian teams to succeed on football's biggest stage, experience outside of Asia is crucial for both individual players and national teams. Paul Williams believes more players need experience in top European and other leagues. “You want to have international experience for your national teams, but your players improve by what they do at club level by playing against the best players every day, training against them,” he stated.
Arya Nourizadeh also advocates for more frequent matches between AFC member nations. He contrasts the current Asian Cup, held every four years with 24 teams, with a proposed Nations League that would involve all 47 member nations. “It would be good for the teams that are a bit lesser in quality,” Nourizadeh said. “I think they would love to play the bigger Asian teams a bit more often.”
While the AFC is stronger than ever and teams show increasing potential, global football standards are also continuously rising. “The levels and the quality is just gonna keep getting higher,” Nourizadeh remarked, emphasizing that “So teams have to adapt.”
Japan is currently seen as the nation with the most promise, having set a vision in 1992 to win the World Cup by 2050. This plan involved growing professional clubs, investing in youth programs, and cultivating elite coaches. Although Japan has yet to win a knockout round game, they have defeated giants like Germany and Spain in the group stage. Williams views Japan’s approach as a roadmap for other nations, stating, “When you're talking about football development, there's no magic bullet. It just requires investment in grassroots, it requires investment in coaching, and it requires patience.” He expressed hope for a future World Cup winner from outside Europe and South America, noting, “Whether it's an African team winning a World Cup, whether it's an Asian team winning a World Cup, something that's outside the norm, I hope we see that.”
