On April 15, Beijing time, according to the news of media person Ma Dexing, the AFC is planning to reform the Asian format of the World Cup qualifiers. With the 2026 World Cup expanding and the number of places in the Asian zone increasing to 8.5, it is imperative to reform the format of the AFC qualifiers.
The 2026 World Cup will be expanded from the current 32 teams to 48 teams. The number of places in the Asian region will be increased from 4.5 to 8.5, in which case the original 12 format may be greatly changed to the new 18 format. This change is to attract the input and attention of Asian countries and regions to the World Preliminary Tournament.
The specific details have not yet been finalized, because FIFA has so far not determined the national team competition window for the 2025-2028 cycle, so the continental football federations have not yet had a clear competitive plan. However, from the AFC athletic experts, it is very likely that the 2026 round of 12 will become the round of 18.
If the World Preliminary Round in Asia really changes from a round of 12 to a round of 18, there may be more opportunities for the national football team. This means that the national football team can avoid more strong teams and thus be able to play better in qualifiers. In addition, the increase in the number of places in the competition also allows the national football team to have more room for fault.