2026 FIFA World Cup/2027 AFC Asian Cup joint qualification Round 1 pots (as per FIFA World Ranking release - Thursday April 6th),

Pot A:
Kuwait
Hong Kong
Indonesia
Maldives
Afghanistan
Chinese Taipei
Yemen
Singapore
Myanmar
Nepal
Cambodia

Pot B:
Macau
Mongolia
Bhutan
Laos
Brunei Darussalam
Bangladesh
Pakistan
Timor Leste
Guam
Sri Lanka*
Northern Marina Islands

*NOTE: Sri Lanka is currently suspended by FIFA.

Round 1 Ties to be played:
Thursday October 12th - 1st leg
Tuesday October 17th - 2nd leg

2026 FIFA World Cup/2027 AFC Asian Cup joint qualification Round 2 pots (as per FIFA World Ranking release - Thursday April 6th),

Pot 1:
Japan
Iran
South Korea
Australia
Saudi Arabia
Qatar
Iraq
United Arab Emirates
Oman

Pot 2:
Uzbekistan
China
Jordan
Bahrain
Syria
Palestine
Vietnam
Kyrgyzstan
Lebanon

Pot 3:
India
Tajikistan
Thailand
North Korea
Philippines
Turkmenistan
Malaysia
winner of tie involving Kuwait+
winner of tie involving Hong Kong+

Pot 4:
winner of tie involving Indonesia+
winner of tie involving Maldives+
winner of tie involving Afghanistan+
winner of tie involving Chinese Taipei+
winner of tie involving Yemen+
winner of tie involving Singapore+
winner of tie involving Myanmar+
winner of tie involving Nepal+
winner of tie involving Cambodia+

+winner of the round 1 ties whose identity will not be known at the time of the draw.

I can also confirm The Asian Game reporter Martin Lowe via twitter in early March tweeted with the draw for both round 1 and round 2 is now very likely expected to take place in July this year.

Round 2 matches to be played,
MD 1: Thursday November 16th 2023 (pot 1 v pot 4, pot 3 v pot 2)
MD 2: Tuesday November 21st 2023 (pot 2 v pot 1, pot 4 v pot 3)
MD 3: Thursday March 21st 2024 (pot 1 v pot 3, pot 4 v pot 2)
MD 4: Tuesday March 26th 2024 (pot 2 v pot 4, pot 3 v pot 1)
MD 5: Thursday June 6th 2024 (pot 2 v pot 3, pot 4 v pot 1)
MD 6: Tuesday June 11th 2024 (pot 1 v pot 2, pot 3 v pot 4)

match venue and kickoff time deadlines to FIFA - at least 90 days before gameday and at least 60 days before gameday,
round 1 first leg: Thursday October 12th 2023 (deadline: July 14th 2023 and August 13th 2023)
round 1 second leg: Tuesday October 17th 2023 (deadline: July 19th 2023 and August 18th 2023)
round 2 - MD 1: Thursday November 16th 2023 (deadline: August 18th 2023 and September 17th 2023)
round 2 - MD 2: Tuesday November 21st 2023 (deadline: August 23rd 2023 and September 22nd 2023)
round 2 - MD 3: Thursday March 21st 2024 (deadline: December 22nd 2023 and January 21st 2024)
round 2 - MD 4: Tuesday March 26th 2024 (deadline: December 27th 2023 and January 26th 2024)
round 2 - MD 5: Thursday June 6th 2024 (deadline: March 8th 2024 and April 7th 2024)
round 2 - MD 6: Tuesday June 11th 2024 (deadline: March 13th 2024 and April 12th 2024)

With the extra spots we actually might see China at the next World Cup.  

Exactly why FIFA went for 48 teams. $$$$$$$$$$

3 billion people in China and India that have never had a team at the world cup.

China qualified for the 2002 World Cup.

Whoops. 

But your main point was correct, China qualifying regularly (at least once every 3 World Cups) could be a massive win for FIFA in growing the game and sourcing more $$$.

If Sri Lanka are unable to lift the FIFA imposed suspension before July 2023, they will be excluded from both draws (Asian Cup and World Cup).

https://www.the-afc.com/en/more/football_calendar.html

From a Socceroos perspective that is what we have coming up.  

Australia does not play the 1st round qualifiers in October, so those will be 1 or more friendlies - IIRC one is England

2026 FIFA World Cup/2027 AFC Asian Cup round 2 joint qualification (heading into SAFF championship),
Pot 1: Japan Iran Australia South Korea Saudi Arabia Qatar Iraq United Arab Emirates Oman
Pot 2: Uzbekistan China Jordan Bahrain Syria Vietnam Palestine Kyrgyzstan India
Pot 3: Lebanon Tajikistan Thailand North Korea Philippines Malaysia Turkmenistan Kuwait+ Hong Kong+
Pot 4: Indonesia+ Chinese Taipei+ Maldives+ Yemen+ Afghanistan+ Singapore+ Myanmar+ Nepal+ Cambodia+

+ round one winners unknown at time of the draw.

2026 FIFA World Cup/2027 AFC Asian Cup round 1 joint qualification (heading to SAFF championship),
Pot A: Kuwait Hong Kong Indonesia Chinese Taipei Maldives Yemen Afghanistan Singapore Myanmar Nepal Cambodia
Pot B: Macau Mongolia Bhutan Laos Brunei Darussalam Bangladesh Timor Leste Pakistan Guam Sri Lanka (suspended)* Northern Marina Islands

*NOTE: Sri Lanka currently suspended by FIFA.

Draw: Thursday July 27th time yet To Be Announced by AFC.

2026 FIFA World Cup/2027 AFC Asian Cup round 1 joint qualification pots,
Pot A: Indonesia Chinese Taipei Maldives Yemen Afghanistan Singapore Myanmar Nepal Cambodia
Pot B: Macau Mongolia Bhutan Laos Darussalam Bangladesh Timor Leste Pakistan Guam

Draw: Thursday July 27th 4.00pm AEST (2.00pm Kuala Lumpur)

2026 FIFA World Cup/2027 AFC Asian Cup round 2 joint qualification pots,
Pot 1: Japan Iran Australia South Korea Saudi Arabia Qatar Iraq United Arab Emirates Oman
Pot 2: Uzbekistan China Jordan Bahrain Syria Vietnam Palestine Kyrgyzstan India
Pot 3: Lebanon Tajikistan Thailand North Korea Philippines Malaysia Turkmenistan Kuwait Hong Kong
Pot 4: Indonesia+ Chinese Taipei+ Maldives+ Yemen+ Afghanistan+ Singapore+ Myanmar+ Nepal+ Cambodia+

+ round one winners won’t be known at time of the draw.

Draw: Thursday July 27th 6.00pm AEST (4.00pm Kuala Lumpur)

Round two match schedule,

MD 1 - Thursday November 16th 2023:
Pot 1 v Pot 4
Pot 3 v Pot 2

MD 2 - Tuesday November 21st 2023:
Pot 2 v Pot 1
Pot 4 v Pot 3

MD 3 - Thursday March 21st 2024:
Pot 1 v Pot 3
Pot 4 v Pot 2

MD 4 - Tuesday March 26th 2024:
Pot 2 v Pot 4
Pot 3 v Pot 1

MD 5 - Thursday June 6th 2024:
Pot 2 v Pot 3
Pot 4 v Pot 1

MD 6 - Tuesday June 11th 2024:
Pot 1 v Pot 2
Pot 3 v Pot 4

Here are official links for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup/2027 AFC Asian Cup joint qualification round 1 draw (Thursday July 27th 4.00pm AEST/2.00pm Kuala Lumpur) and round 2 draw (Thursday July 27th 6.00pm AEST/4.00pm Kuala Lumpur).

round 1 link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zK4CgzPTMg

round 2 link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRSJlq9s6M4

The draw is on the same day as the Matildas next World Cup match and thankfully I won't need to be checking the draw while at the game.

The 6pm section of the draw will allow Australia (and Australian fans) to commence planning for the first 2 away trips of the campaign well in advance and the 3rd away opponent will be known in October so that also is plenty of time.

I would expect Thailand away in March to be a popular away trip for fans if we get drawn in the same qualifying group.

Draw tomorrow

Round 1 draw result:
Afghanistan v Mongolia
Maldives v Bangladesh
Singapore v Guam
Yemen v Sri Lanka
Myanmar v Macau
Cambodia v Pakistan
Chinese Taipei v Timor-Leste
Indonesia v Brunei
Hong Kong v Bhutan
Nepal v Laos

ties to be played Thursday October 12th and Tuesday October 17th.

2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying round 2 draw result,

Group A:
A1 Qatar
A2 India
A3 Kuwait
A4 Afghanistan/Mongolia

MD 1 – Thursday November 16th 2023:
Qatar v Afghanistan/Mongolia
Kuwait v India

MD 2 – Tuesday November 21st 2023:
India v Qatar
Afghanistan/Mongolia v Kuwait

MD 3 – Thursday March 21st 2024:
Qatar v Kuwait
Afghanistan/Mongolia v India

MD 4 – Tuesday March 26th 2024:
India v Afghanistan/Mongolia
Kuwait v Qatar

MD 5 – Thursday June 6th 2024:
India v Kuwait
Afghanistan/Mongolia v Qatar

MD 6 – Tuesday June 11th 2024:
Qatar v India
Kuwait v Afghanistan/Mongolia

Group B:
B1 Japan
B2 Syria
B3 North Korea
B4 Myanmar/Macau

MD 1 – Thursday November 16th 2023:
Japan v Myanmar/Macau
North Korea v Syria

MD 2 – Tuesday November 21st 2023:
Syria v Japan
Myanmar/Macau v North Korea

MD 3 – Thursday March 21st 2024:
Japan v North Korea
Myanmar/Macau v Syria

MD 4 – Tuesday March 26th 2024:
Syria v Myanmar/Macau
North Korea v Japan

MD 5 – Thursday June 6th 2024:
Syria v North Korea
Myanmar/Macau v Japan

MD 6 – Tuesday June 11th 2024:
Japan v Syria
North Korea v Myanmar/Macau

Group C:
C1 South Korea
C2 China
C3 Thailand
C4 Singapore/Guam

MD 1 – Thursday November 16th 2023:
South Korea v Singapore/Guam
Thailand v China

MD 2 – Tuesday November 21st 2023:
China v South Korea
Singapore/Guam v Thailand

MD 3 – Thursday March 21st 2024:
South Korea v Thailand
Singapore/Guam v China

MD 4 – Tuesday March 26th 2024:
China v Singapore/Guam
Thailand v South Korea

MD 5 – Thursday June 6th 2024:
China v Thailand
Singapore/Guam v South Korea

MD 6 – Tuesday June 11th 2024:
South Korea v China
Thailand v Singapore/Guam

Group D:
D1 Oman
D2 Kyrgyzstan
D3 Malaysia
D4 Chinese Taipei/Timor Leste

MD 1 – Thursday November 16th 2023:
Oman v Chinese Taipei/Timor Leste
Malaysia v Kyrgyzstan

MD 2 – Tuesday November 21st 2023:
Kyrgyzstan v Oman
Chinese Taipei/Timor Leste v Malaysia

MD 3 – Thursday March 21st 2024:
Oman v Malaysia
Chinese Taipei/Timor Leste v Kyrgyzstan

MD 4 – Tuesday March 26th 2024:
Kyrgyzstan v Chinese Taipei/Timor Leste
Malaysia v Oman

MD 5 – Thursday June 6th 2024:
Kyrgyzstan v Malaysia
Chinese Taipei /Timor Leste v Oman

MD 6 – Tuesday June 11th 2024:
Oman v Kyrgyzstan
Malaysia v Chinese Taipei/Timor Leste

Group E:
E1 Iran
E2 Uzbekistan
E3 Turkmenistan
E4 Hong Kong/Bhutan

MD 1 – Thursday November 16th 2023:
Iran v Hong Kong/Bhutan
Turkmenistan v Uzbekistan

MD 2 – Tuesday November 21st 2023:
Uzbekistan v Iran
Hong Kong/Bhutan v Turkmenistan

MD 3 – Thursday March 21st 2024:
Iran v Turkmenistan
Hong Kong/Bhutan v Uzbekistan

MD 4 – Tuesday March 26th 2024:
Uzbekistan v Hong Kong/Bhutan
Turkmenistan v Iran

MD 5 – Thursday June 6th 2024:
Uzbekistan v Turkmenistan
Hong Kong/Bhutan v Iran

MD 6 – Tuesday June 11th 2024:
Iran v Uzbekistan
Turkmenistan v Hong Kong/Bhutan

Group F:
F1 Iraq
F2 Vietnam
F3 Philippines
F4 Indonesia/Brunei Darussalam

MD 1 – Thursday November 16th 2023:
Iraq v Indonesia/Brunei Darussalam
Philippines v Vietnam

MD 2 – Tuesday November 21st 2023:
Vietnam v Iraq
Indonesia/Brunei Darussalam v Philippines

MD 3 – Thursday March 21st 2024:
Iraq v Philippines
Indonesia/Brunei Darussalam v Vietnam

MD 4 – Tuesday March 26th 2024:
Vietnam v Indonesia/Brunei Darussalam
Philippines v Iraq

MD 5 – Thursday June 6th 2024:
Vietnam v Philippines
Indonesia/Brunei Darussalam v Iraq

MD 6 – Tuesday June 11th 2024:
Iraq v Vietnam
Philippines v Indonesia/Brunei Darussalam

Group G:
G1 Saudi Arabia
G2 Jordan
G3 Tajikistan
G4 Cambodia/Pakistan

MD 1 – Thursday November 16th 2023:
Saudi Arabia v Cambodia/Pakistan
Tajikistan v Jordan

MD 2 – Tuesday November 21st 2023:
Jordan v Saudi Arabia
Cambodia/Pakistan v Tajikistan

MD 3 – Thursday March 21st 2024:
Saudi Arabia v Tajikistan
Cambodia/Pakistan v Jordan

MD 4 – Tuesday March 26th 2024:
Jordan v Cambodia/Pakistan
Tajikistan v Saudi Arabia

MD 5 – Thursday June 6th 2024:
Jordan v Tajikistan
Cambodia/Pakistan v Saudi Arabia

MD 6 – Tuesday June 11th 2024:
Saudi Arabia v Jordan
Tajikistan v Cambodia/Pakistan

Group H:
H1 United Arab Emirates
H2 Bahrain
H3 Yemen/Sri Lanka
H4 Nepal/Laos

MD 1 – Thursday November 16th 2023:
United Arab Emirates v Nepal/Laos
Yemen/Sri Lanka v Bahrain

MD 2 – Tuesday November 21st 2023:
Bahrain v United Arab Emirates
Nepal/Laos v Yemen/Sri Lanka

MD 3 – Thursday March 21st 2024:
United Arab Emirates v Yemen/Sri Lanka
Nepal/Laos v Bahrain

MD 4 – Tuesday March 26th 2024:
Bahrain v Nepal/Laos
Yemen/Sri Lanka v United Arab Emirates

MD 5 – Thursday June 6th 2024:
Bahrain v Yemen/Sri Lanka
Nepal/Laos v United Arab Emirates

MD 6 – Tuesday June 11th 2024:
United Arab Emirates v Bahrain
Yemen/Sri Lanka v Nepal/Laos

Group I:
I1 Australia
I2 Palestine
I3 Lebanon
I4 Maldives/Bangladesh

MD 1 – Thursday November 16th 2023:
Australia v Maldives/Bangladesh
Lebanon v Palestine

MD 2 – Tuesday November 21st 2023:
Palestine v Australia
Maldives/Bangladesh v Lebanon

MD 3 – Thursday March 21st 2024:
Australia v Lebanon
Maldives/Bangladesh v Palestine

MD 4 – Tuesday March 26th 2024:
Palestine v Maldives/Bangladesh
Lebanon v Australia

MD 5 – Thursday June 6th 2024:
Palestine v Lebanon
Maldives/Bangladesh v Australia

MD 6 – Tuesday June 11th 2024:
Australia v Palestine
Lebanon v Maldives/Bangladesh

FIFA World Cup/AFC Asian Cup joint qualifying round 1 first leg kickoff times,

Thursday October 12th:
8.30pm Melbourne Time Myanmar v Macau at Thuwunna Stadium
10.00pm Melbourne Time Maldives v Bangladesh at National Football Stadium
10.00pm Melbourne Time Chinese Taipei v Timor Leste at National Stadium
10.15pm Melbourne Time Nepal v Laos at Dasharath Rangasala Stadium
10.30pm Melbourne Time Singapore v Guam at Bishan Stadium
11.00pm Melbourne Time Cambodia v Pakistan at Morodok Techo National Stadium
11.00pm Melbourne Time Indonesia v Brunei at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium
11.00pm Melbourne Time Hong Kong v Bhutan at Hong Kong Stadium

Friday October 13th:
1.00am Melbourne Time Afghanistan v Mongolia at Pamir Stadium (neutral venue)
4.00am Melbourne Time Yemen v Sri Lanka at Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Stadium (neutral venue)*

*note Sri Lanka's FIFA ban has been lifted recently.