KUALA LUMPUR — Continental champion Australia was pooled in a formidable Group B with Saudi Arabia, Japan and the United Arab Emirates in the draw for the final Asian round of 2018 World Cup qualifying Tuesday.
Joining the quartet in the six-nation group, where only the top two sides are guaranteed a place at the Finals in Russia, was 2007 Asian champion Iraq and fast-improving Thailand.
Group A was headlined by consistent qualifiers South Korea and Asia's top ranked team Iran, who both represented the continent at the last World Cup in Brazil along with Australia and Japan.
China, which has qualified for just one World Cup in 2002 and scraped through to this round, was also pooled in Group A alongside three sides which have yet to reach a Finals — Syria, 2022 host Qatar and Uzbekistan.
The group stages will conclude in Sept. 2017 with the top two from each pool qualifying and the two third-placed sides playing each other.
The winners of that playoff then advance to a two-legged inter-confederation clash with a CONCACAF qualifier for another spot in Russia. Iran and South Korea, who will be favorites to progress to another World Cup, endure frosty soccer relations after clashing in qualifying four years ago.
Korea complained about inadequate training facilities in Tehran, with then-coach Choi Kang-hee saying he would enjoy eliminating Iran from the race to Brazil only for the Iranians to win in Seoul in the return and top the group.
That result sparked ugly scenes on the sidelines as Iran coach Carlos Queiroz and his assistants celebrated by rushing toward the Korean bench and gesturing wildly.
It will be the third consecutive World Cup campaign that Korea and Iran have faced off in, with Japan and Australia also making it a trilogy of meetings.
Japan has played at the last five World Cups and finished ahead of Australia in 2014 qualifying but the Socceroos came out top in the 2010 campaign.
Saudi Arabia, which made the last of its four World Cup appearances in 2002, took four points from the UAE in the previous round and has shown signs of progress under Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk.
But Australia coach Ange Postecoglou was confident his side, which will start on Sept. 1 with a home clash against Iraq, would play in Russia. "As champion of Asia we will show due respect to all countries but focused on continuing our journey that has aspirations greater than simply qualifying for the World Cup," he said in a statement.
Group A: Iran, South Korea, Uzbekistan, China, Qatar, Syria.
Group B: Australia, Japan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Thailand.
Indonesia eyes hosting 2023 Asian Cup
Indonesia has thrown its hat into the ring to host the 2023 AFC Asian Cup, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said Tuesday, despite the country being under a FIFA ban.
The AFC Competitions Committee also received expressions of interest from China, South Korea and Thailand.
Indonesia was suspended from international football in May after the government attempted to replace the country's football association.
Meanwhile a new AFC international competition, to replace the AFC Challenge Cup that was scrapped in 2014 for the continent's lowest-ranked teams, will be introduced.
Nepal, Brunei, Macau, Mongolia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, as well as two further teams yet to be named will participate in the 14-day tournament.
The tournament will also include coaching, refereeing, technical and event management education courses.
