Jonathan DiMaggio/Getty Images
4dJoey Lynch

The Socceroos are caught between two generations

The Socceroos' road to the 2026 World Cup may have begun, but coach Graham Arnold is walking a tightrope of picking veteran stars and players for the future.

Getty Images
10dReuters

Son scores 2 as S. Korea beat China in qualifier

Son Heung-Min scored twice and set up the third as South Korea handed China a 3-0 defeat in Shenzhen on Tuesday to complete back-to-back wins at the start of their challenge for a place at the 2026 World Cup finals.

Sunaadh Sagar / ESPN India
10dSunaadh Sagar in Bhubaneshwar

India are a team, Qatar better believe it

Bhubaneswar is ready to fill the Kalinga Stadium entirely with a sold-out crowd - This is a team worth watching, not just a group of good players.

Visionhaus/Getty Images
16dAAP

Socceroos without Boyle for WCQ clash

The Socceroos will start their World Cup qualification campaign without Martin Boyle after the attacker was ruled out of their clash with Bangladesh through a knee injury.

Luca Amedeo Bizzarri/Getty Images
16dJoey Lynch

Arnold: Volpato opting for club over Socceroos

Graham Arnold has told ESPN that dual-national Cristian Volpato "wants to just focus on his club career" ahead of the Socceroos' first match of 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification.

Graham Arnold on national second tier & Australia's trajectory (3:31)
16d
Arnold: Olympics most important program outside of Socceroos (2:04)
16d
Would take 'something special' for Arnold to leave Socceroos (1:11)
16d
Pompey/X
22dAAP

Yengi earns Socceroos call-up, veterans dropped

Uncapped striker Kusini Yengi has earned a maiden Socceroos call-up for this month's World Cup qualifiers against Bangladesh and Palestine after a goal-laden switch to England.

WCQ Ladder

2026 FIFA World Cup¤ AFC QualifyGPWDLGDP
Qatar2200+106
Kuwait2101+33
India2101-23
Afghanistan2002-110
2026 FIFA World Cup¤ AFC QualifyGPWDLGDP
Japan2200+106
North Korea2101+43
Syria2101-43
Myanmar2002-100
2026 FIFA World Cup¤ AFC QualifyGPWDLGDP
South Korea2200+86
Thailand2101+13
China2101-23
Singapore2002-70
2026 FIFA World Cup¤ AFC QualifyGPWDLGDP
Malaysia2200+26
Oman2101+23
Kyrgyz Republic210103
Chinese Taipei2002-40
2026 FIFA World Cup¤ AFC QualifyGPWDLGDP
Iran2110+44
Uzbekistan2110+24
Turkmenistan2011-21
Hong Kong2011-41
2026 FIFA World Cup¤ AFC QualifyGPWDLGDP
Iraq2200+56
Vietnam2101+13
Philippines2011-21
Indonesia2011-41
2026 FIFA World Cup¤ AFC QualifyGPWDLGDP
Saudi Arabia2200+66
Tajikistan2110+54
Jordan2011-21
Pakistan2002-90
2026 FIFA World Cup¤ AFC QualifyGPWDLGDP
United Arab Emirates2200+66
Bahrain210103
Yemen210103
Nepal2002-60
2026 FIFA World Cup¤ AFC QualifyGPWDLGDP
Australia2200+86
Lebanon202002
Palestine2011-11
Bangladesh2011-71