Saudi Arabia Faces Five-Goal Deficit Against Australia in 2026 World Cup Qualifier

Saudi Arabia faces a nearly impossible task in their final match of the third round of Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, needing to defeat Australia by a five-goal margin to secure direct qualification. Head coach Hervé Renard acknowledges the slim chances but urges his team to give their all, emphasizing that they have "nothing to lose" and must aim to satisfy their home fans in Jeddah. Australia, sitting second in Group C and having conceded only six goals while scoring 14, needs to avoid such a heavy defeat to qualify directly for their seventh World Cup, with coach Tony Popovic focused on maintaining their advantage without complacency. Japan has already secured the top spot in the group, with Iran and Uzbekistan also qualifying directly, while Saudi Arabia faces the prospect of entering the next qualification stage if they fail to achieve the required margin. The match is set against the backdrop of Asia being allocated eight spots at the expanded 48-team World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Saudi Arabia will play in a hostile home stadium with free tickets offered to ensure a packed crowd, adding to the intensity of the high-stakes encounter.