The UAE’s bid to reach the 2022 World Cup has resumed, with the third and final round of qualification getting under way. Here are the details.
What is it?
The third round of qualification for the 2022 global finals. The UAE progressed to this stage by finishing top of their group in phase 2, when they won all four of their rescheduled qualifiers in June to turn around their campaign. Bert van Marwijk's side eventually sealed Group G by a solitary point, ahead of Vietnam. Their record stood at six wins and two defeats from eight matches.
Who qualifies from Round 3?
There are four direct spots up for grabs for next year’s tournament, with the potential for a fifth berth via a series of play-offs. The 12 remaining teams have been divided into two groups – A and B – with the top two sides in each booking their place in Qatar. The two third-placed teams then face one another in a single-match play-off, with the winner moving on to the intercontinental play-offs, where they face a final chance to qualify for the finals.
Group A
For the draw, which took place on July 1, the UAE were seeded in Pot 3 in accordance with a special set of Fifa rankings at that time. Iran were placed in Pot 1, with South Korea in Pot 2. Current Fifa standings are in brackets. The teams will play each other home and away.
Iran (26)
South Korea (36)
UAE (68)
Iraq (70)
Syria (80)
Lebanon (98)
UAE's fixtures
The national team will play all home matches at Al Wasl’s Zabeel Stadium in Dubai.
1) UAE v Lebanon - Sep 2, 2021: Result: 0-0
2) Syria v UAE - Sep 7, 2021
3) UAE v Iran - Oct 7, 2021
4) UAE v Iraq - Oct 12, 2021
5) South Korea v UAE - Nov 11, 2021
6) Lebanon v UAE - Nov 16, 2021
7) UAE v Syria - Jan 27, 2022
8) Iran v UAE - Feb 1, 2022
9) Iraq v UAE - Mar 24, 2022
10) UAE v South Korea - Mar 29, 2022
UAE's finals history
The UAE have only once previously qualified for a World Cup, in 1990. They reached the third round of Asian qualification for Russia 2018, only to finish fourth in Group B, behind Japan, Saudi Arabia and Australia.
