The top 36 teams in the preliminaries are divided into eight groups. The top two teams in each group can directly advance to the World Cup, and the third teams in the other four groups will play a play-off. The two teams that finally win can also advance to the World Cup. So three teams in each group will get the chance to advance.
In the group stage, each team will play a home and away double round robin match with the other five teams in the group, and * * * will play 10 round. According to the points ranking, the top two in each group will be eligible for direct promotion.
The third place in the other four groups will enter the play-offs. Therefore, the ranking of points is the key factor to determine the team's qualifying. Through the results of the group competition, there are always 28 teams who have obtained the top qualifications of 16.
The latest preliminaries system
The first stage: the qualifying stage.
The 20 AFC teams ranked lower in the world fought each other, and it took two rounds at home and away to qualify. 10 winning teams, 9 teams are in the fourth draw, and 1 team is in the third draw. The first stage of the competition will be held on June 65438+1October 12 and June 17, 2023.
The first stage-Afghanistan vs Mongolia, Maldives vs Bangladesh, Singapore vs Guam, Yemen vs Sri Lanka, Myanmar vs China and Macau, Cambodia vs Pakistan, China Taipei vs East Timor, Indonesia vs Brunei, China Hong Kong vs Bhutan, Nepal vs Laos.
Stage 2: Top 36-Top 36 promotion 18 stage.
The 36 teams participating in the lottery were divided into 9 groups, with 4 teams in each group playing home and away games. China men's soccer team will start the preliminaries from the top 36 stage. After this stage of competition, the top two teams in nine groups will enter the 18 final. This 18 team also directly advanced to the 2027 Asian Cup.
The third stage: 18 Top Tournament-18 Top Tournament is divided into three groups, and the top two teams enter the World Cup.
The 18 teams promoted in the second stage are divided into 3 groups, with 6 teams in each group, playing home and away games. After this stage of competition, the top two teams in the three groups will directly get tickets for the World Cup! Three teams from the third group, three teams from the fourth group and six teams from * * * entered the fourth stage.
The fourth stage: 6 teams compete for 2.5 tickets.
The six teams that advanced to the fourth stage were divided into two groups, with three teams in each group, to play a single round robin. The first place in the two groups won the World Cup tickets directly. The second place in the two groups will be eliminated, and the winner will be eliminated with teams from other continents to decide the final quota of the World Cup.