North Korea

After matchday eight of Asia's World Cup qualifiers, ESPN's writers answer the burning questions, provide analysis and break down the biggest performances across the continent.

Who will win the 2026 World Cup? A team stacked with talent, surely. We've devised a way to rank countries by the talent in their squads.

From the Japanese juggernaut to numerical deficits not mattering, here's what we learnt from the third round of Asian qualifiers.

There is plenty to look forward to as the third round of Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup begins on Thursday.

18 teams are still in the hunt to reach the World Cup as the third round of Asian qualifiers kick off on Thursday.

Japan, Australia and Saudi Arabia will renew their respective rivalries in the third round of the Asian World Cup qualifiers.

With the second round of the Asian qualifiers completed, 18 teams are still in the hunt to reach the World Cup.

13 are through but five spots in the third round of Asian qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup are still up for grabs.

Iraq and Australia booked their third round berths while South Korea returned to form after their draw last week.

From teams desperately needing a win to those on the verge of advancing, here are five things to look out for on match day 4 of the Asian World Cup qualifiers.