Fifa World Cup 2026 qualifiers: Hong Kong eye group with giants Iran – if they handle altitude in Bhutan
- Draw for preliminary round sends Hong Kong to landlocked Himalayan nation, where city’s former striker Chan Siu-ki found it ‘difficult to breathe’ on last visit
- Groups also drawn for September’s Asian Games in Hangzhou, with Hong Kong boss Jorn Andersen admitting city’s men face ‘tough’ pool
Hong Kong will have to overcome Bhutan first if they want to reach the group stage of the men’s Fifa World Cup 2026 Asian zone qualifiers that begin in November.
As one of the 20 lowest-ranked teams in the region, Hong Kong have to get through an additional round against the landlocked Himalayan nation after Thursday’s draw in Kuala Lumpur. That will comprise home and away legs on October 12 and 17.
The draw for the nine groups of four in the qualifying phase proper has placed the winner of their tie in Group E with Iran, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. The top two will advance to yet more qualifiers.
Regional heavyweights Iran have been in Hong Kong’s way before, beating them home and away in qualifying for the last World Cup, and await them again in the AFC Asian Cup finals next January.
Hong Kong head coach Jorn Andersen admitted to knowing little about Bhutan, who are 185th in the Fifa rankings to Hong Kong’s 149, and was reluctant to look ahead to the group until they had been dispatched.
He also had an eye on another draw made on Thursday, for September’s Asian Games in Hangzhou – an under-23 competition for the men and a senior one for the women.
