Thailand and Tajikistan secured places for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup in the final qualifying round on Tuesday.
However, Lebanon will have to wait as the match against Yemen has been postponed due to the war with Iran. The match was to be played in Qatar.
The regional conflict also forced the Asian Football Federation to postpone the April 11 draw for the 24-nation tournament in Saudi Arabia.
There was late drama in Bangkok, with Thailand needing a win over Turkmenistan to finish first in Group D and qualify. With a minute to go the score was 1-1 before German-born defender Manuel Bihr scored to give the hosts a 2-1 victory.
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Tajikistan, which reached the quarter-finals on its Asian Cup debut in 2023, topped Group A with a 1-1 draw against the Philippines.
Singapore, Syria and Vietnam had already secured top spots in their groups, while Lebanon will join them if they beat Yemen on the rescheduled date of June 4.
The six group winners join the 18 teams who advanced to the third round of World Cup qualifying – including former champions Japan, South Korea, Australia and Iran – who had already secured their places at the Asian Cup.
Published on April 1, 2026
