[GUEST ACCESS MODE: Data is scrambled or limited to provide examples. Make requests using your API key to unlock full data. Check https://lunarcrush.ai/auth for authentication information.]  Iraq Football Podcast [@IraqFootballPod](/creator/twitter/IraqFootballPod) on x 33.5K followers Created: 2025-07-09 17:47:52 UTC ๐จ Drama in AFC World Cup qualifying setup โ and itโs entirely self-inflicted. A few weeks ago, after both Indonesia ๐ฎ๐ฉ and Iraq ๐ฎ๐ถ attempted to secure hosting rights for WCQ in Round 4, FIFA confirmed that ๐ถ๐ฆ Qatar & ๐ธ๐ฆ Saudi Arabia would host the two qualifying mini-tournaments. The assumed both Saudi and Qatar would be in Pot X based on FIFA rankings. But โฆ Saudi Arabia underperformed at the Gold Cup, dropping valuable FIFA points. As of the XX June 2025 ranking cut-off: ๐ฉ Pot 1: ๐ถ๐ฆ Qatar โ 1460 ๐ฎ๐ถ Iraq โ 1417 ๐จ Pot 2: ๐ธ๐ฆ Saudi Arabia โ 1415 ๐ฆ๐ช UAE โ 1380 ๐ง Pot 3: ๐ด๐ฒ Oman โ 1313 ๐ฎ๐ฉ Indonesia โ 1155 Yep โ Iraq leapfrogged Saudi Arabia! Hereโs the problem now: both Qatar & Saudi Arabia are hostsโฆ but hosts canโt be in the same group. So AFC/FIFA now face a dilemma: โ ๏ธ Either: 1โฃ Ignore the official June 2025 rankings and put ๐ถ๐ฆ & ๐ธ๐ฆ in a special โhost potโ so they both land in Pot X OR 2โฃ Respect the rankings, but split ๐ถ๐ฆ & ๐ธ๐ฆ into separate groups โ forcing these matchups: ๐ถ๐ฆ vs ๐ฆ๐ช ๐ธ๐ฆ vs ๐ฎ๐ถ โธป Either way, the whole thing looks messy. ๐ฅ This couldโve been avoided if AFC had waited for rankings before naming hosts. Instead, the early decision handed two powerful nations home-field advantage and boxed FIFA into a corner. ๐๏ธ Matches are in October 2025. ๐ Likely scenario- AFC use previous seeds and disregard Iraqโs recent form Shambles.  XXXXXX engagements  **Related Topics** [saudi arabia](/topic/saudi-arabia) [qatar](/topic/qatar) [indonesia](/topic/indonesia) [iraq](/topic/iraq) [Post Link](https://x.com/IraqFootballPod/status/1943004188520349803)
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Iraq Football Podcast @IraqFootballPod on x 33.5K followers
Created: 2025-07-09 17:47:52 UTC
๐จ Drama in AFC World Cup qualifying setup โ and itโs entirely self-inflicted.
A few weeks ago, after both Indonesia ๐ฎ๐ฉ and Iraq ๐ฎ๐ถ attempted to secure hosting rights for WCQ in Round 4, FIFA confirmed that ๐ถ๐ฆ Qatar & ๐ธ๐ฆ Saudi Arabia would host the two qualifying mini-tournaments.
The assumed both Saudi and Qatar would be in Pot X based on FIFA rankings.
But โฆ Saudi Arabia underperformed at the Gold Cup, dropping valuable FIFA points.
As of the XX June 2025 ranking cut-off:
๐ฉ Pot 1: ๐ถ๐ฆ Qatar โ 1460 ๐ฎ๐ถ Iraq โ 1417
๐จ Pot 2: ๐ธ๐ฆ Saudi Arabia โ 1415 ๐ฆ๐ช UAE โ 1380
๐ง Pot 3: ๐ด๐ฒ Oman โ 1313 ๐ฎ๐ฉ Indonesia โ 1155
Yep โ Iraq leapfrogged Saudi Arabia! Hereโs the problem now: both Qatar & Saudi Arabia are hostsโฆ but hosts canโt be in the same group.
So AFC/FIFA now face a dilemma:
โ ๏ธ Either: 1โฃ Ignore the official June 2025 rankings and put ๐ถ๐ฆ & ๐ธ๐ฆ in a special โhost potโ so they both land in Pot X
OR
2โฃ Respect the rankings, but split ๐ถ๐ฆ & ๐ธ๐ฆ into separate groups โ forcing these matchups:
๐ถ๐ฆ vs ๐ฆ๐ช ๐ธ๐ฆ vs ๐ฎ๐ถ
โธป
Either way, the whole thing looks messy.
๐ฅ This couldโve been avoided if AFC had waited for rankings before naming hosts.
Instead, the early decision handed two powerful nations home-field advantage and boxed FIFA into a corner.
๐๏ธ Matches are in October 2025. ๐ Likely scenario- AFC use previous seeds and disregard Iraqโs recent form
Shambles.
XXXXXX engagements
Related Topics saudi arabia qatar indonesia iraq