FIFA World Cup 2026 qualification: Here’s how India can still progress to the next round despite losing 1-2 to Afghanistan

India's aspirations for progressing to the third round of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup took a hit with a surprise 1-2 defeat to lower-placed Afghanistan in Guwahati on Tuesday. Hopes were high as India entered the match, but they left the field disappointed as Afghanistan clinched victory with two late goals.

Despite the setback, all hope isn’t lost for India. Currently second in Group A after four games, India sits eight points behind leaders Qatar. They are level on points with Afghanistan but hold the advantage on goal difference, and maintain a one-point lead over Kuwait.

Looking ahead, the Indian team faces a critical match against Kuwait in June. A victory is imperative, as a draw might not be sufficient, especially considering Kuwait's fixture against Afghanistan on the final matchday could potentially propel one of them ahead of India.

India's recent encounters with Kuwait have been evenly contested. While they secured a notable 1-0 victory in Kuwait City at the outset of the qualifying campaign, their clashes in the SAFF Championships last year ended in draws, highlighting the closely matched nature of the teams.

Should India secure another draw against Kuwait in the upcoming fixture, they will need a positive result against Qatar in their final match to secure qualification. However, if India succumbs to defeat against a relatively stronger Qatar team, the winner of the Kuwait-Afghanistan match will advance. In the event of a draw between Kuwait and Afghanistan, India will require at least a point against Qatar.

India’s recent loss to Afghanistan underscores the challenge posed by Qatar, who are likely to present a much more formidable opposition, even though they may have already secured qualification and potentially rotate their squad. Consequently, India's upcoming match against Kuwait assumes paramount importance, potentially determining their fate in the tournament.

These group games are part of the Asian section of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification. The qualification process involves five rounds, after which eight Asian teams will directly qualify for the World Cup and one more may potentially progress through an inter-confederation play-off slot.