World Cup 2022: UAE draw Iran and South Korea in qualifying

Tough group includes Iraq, Syria and Lebanon for games starting in September

The UAE team before the game between the UAE and Vietnam in the World Cup qualifiers at the Zabeel Stadium, Dubai on June 15, 2021. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The UAE will play Iran and South Korea in the final round of qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup after the draw was made in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday.

The national team, who were seeded in Pot 3, have been drawn in Group A, where they will also take on Iraq, Syria and Lebanon.

At present, the campaign is scheduled to begin on September 2 and run until March 29, with teams playing each other home and away. The top two in Groups A and B qualify for next year’s finals in Qatar, with the two third-placed sides facing one another in a play-off before the winner progresses to an intercontinental decider.

The UAE, seeking a second World Cup appearance, advanced to the third phase having topped their second-round group last month.

Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, were drawn in Group B alongside Japan, Australia, China, Oman and Vietnam.