In the 100-year history of football, there are occasional magical scripts of dark horses breaking into top competitions. The 2026 World Cup will usher in reforms, expanding the number of teams to 48 teams and increasing the number of qualifying places in Asia from 4.5 to 8.5. This news is like a slap in the face, and it has woken up the entire Asian football world! For a time, the low-ranked "small countries" in Asia were full of vigor and vigor, and their long-cherished hopes of qualifying for the World Cup were burning.
Even Kyrgyzstan, a small country in Central Asia with a population of less than 6 million, has expressed a desire to reach the World Cup. As the 16th second-tier football team in Asia, Kyrgyzstan has been in great shape and shown strong impact in the round of 36 of the Asian zone of this World Cup qualifier.
Kyrgyzstan is tied with Oman, Malaysia and Chinese Taipei in a group. So far in the group stage of the round of 36, Kyrgyzstan and Oman have both won 3 and lost 1, tied for the top two places in the group with 9 points, and the goal difference of both teams is also the same. Kyrgyzstan finished ahead of Oman as group leaders by virtue of goals scored alone.
Surprisingly, Kyrgyzstan's current record includes a big 5-1 win. And this 5-1 is not a loss for strong teams like Iraq and Qatar, but a loss to Kyrgyzstan, which ranks 16th in Asia! It was the Chinese Taipei team that was swept by Kyrgyzstan, who lost all four games in the group stage and did not even get a point.
What's even more shocking is that in the first round of home games against Malaysia, Kyrgyzstan once led 3-1, but the opponent conceded three goals in a row, and finally drew 4-4, which was a huge upset. However, Kyrgyzstan quickly regained their fighting spirit, beating Oman 1-0 at home in the second round.
In the next two rounds of back-to-back home-and-away battles, Kyrgyzstan won two big wins of 2-0 and 5-1, and completely pinned Chinese Taipei under him. This obscure Asian team, with a record of 9 points from the top of the group, declares that it is re-emerging!
For Kyrgyzstan, a draw in the final two rounds of the group stage will ensure progress to the round of 18 and continue to chase 8.5 qualifying places. And Oman, who has already scored 9 points, is in sight of qualifying for the next game.
So in this wave of Asian "small countries" breaking out of the encirclement, how should the Chinese men's football team respond? The national football team currently has only seven points in the group, far behind Oman and Kyrgyzstan. On June 6, Beijing time, the national football team will sit at home against the strong Thai team, and must score all 3 points to open the gap with Thailand with a total score of 10 points, so as to advance to the round of 18 in advance.
Because if the national football team loses to Thailand on June 6, it will be difficult to challenge for the second place in the group even if it defeats South Korea in the final round. Therefore, this game against Thailand will be a desperate battle for the national football team. But in the latest edition of the world rankings, the Chinese team is ranked 88th and Thailand is ranked 112th. Judging from the strength on paper, the national football team should have an advantage.
However, football in Asia has always been crazy, and the comparison of strengths often makes it difficult to fully explain the direction of the game. Just as Kyrgyzstan defeated Chinese Taipei 5-1, no one can be sure that the Chinese team will beat Thailand. After all, in the last round, the national football team only defeated the slump Thailand 1-0 at the last moment of the score desire.
Therefore, the match against Thailand on June 6 will be the most important step for the national football team to embark on the road to the World Cup. Once you lose, the road to promotion will be in a dilemma.
Kyrgyzstan and Oman, meanwhile, are also eyeing each other, and a draw in this round will see them reach the round of 18. The disparity in the distribution of strength in Asia has not only allowed some low-ranked "small countries" to find hope of breaking through, but also created huge pressure on traditional powerhouses.
The aftermath of this "turbulence" in Asian football is likely to continue to swarm towards the next round of 18 stage. There may be more upsets, which will undoubtedly add more excitement to the 2026 World Cup.
In the face of such a situation, the top priority of the Chinese men's football team at the moment is to make every effort to pass this hurdle on June 6 and enter the round of 18 with a total score of 10 points. Only in this way can you compete against stronger opponents at a higher level.
In the past, Chinese football has lost countless tickets to the World Cup, like a shy tied puppy in the bag, afraid of the World Cup. But this time, fate gave the national football team a chance to turn around again.
Regardless of whether the opponent is a strong team or a dark horse, whether it is Thailand, Malaysia, or Kyrgyzstan, the Chinese men's football team must give up everything, seize the day, and go all out to the battlefield of the top 18.
In the group stage of the round of 36, Chinese football has long passed the age of no desire and no desire, and mediocrity will only be a shame. After the expansion of this qualifier, the Asian region will get more qualifying places, which means that the competition will intensify to the white heat.
In the face of such a situation, the top priority of the Chinese men's football team at the moment is to make every effort to pass this hurdle on June 6 and enter the round of 18 with a total score of 10 points. Only in this way can you compete against stronger opponents at a higher level.
In general, the top 36 of the Asian region of this World Preliminary Championship has staged a lot of unexpected performances. The outstanding performances of Kyrgyzstan and Oman were eye-catching and underlined the continuous improvement of Asian football.
For the Chinese men's football team, unlike Kyrgyzstan's road number, a draw is useless, and all three points must be scored to successfully advance. A win can open the door to the World Cup, and a loss can lead to a dilemma.
Therefore, whether from the perspective of the Chinese men's football team or from the perspective of the entire Asian football industry, this World Preliminary Tournament will be a key test. It is not only a competition for qualifications, but also a review of strength, which will reflect the direction and potential of the development of Asian football.
Let's wait and see what kind of plot this feast of World Cup tickets will deduce. But one thing is for sure, this time, no team will be able to sit still!