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FIFA World Cup: Three more Asian teams have punched their tickets to the 2026 FIFA World Cup following the latest round of qualifiers, with Uzbekistan and Jordan set to make their tournament debuts and South Korea extending its streak to 11 consecutive appearances. China, by contrast, was eliminated with one match remaining.

Uzbekistan secured its place with a goalless draw against the United Arab Emirates in Group A. The result was enough for the Central Asian side, who featured Manchester City defender Abdukodir Khusanov and Roma forward Eldor Shomurodov, to become the fifth team to reach the tournament through the qualifying pathway, joining Japan, New Zealand, Iran and Argentina.

Qatar, the 2022 World Cup host, edged 10-man Iran 1-0 in the same group. Both Qatar and the UAE will advance to the playoffs, where two more World Cup spots will be contested, reports Xinhua.