No Asian team managed to go far this World Cup (again). What's holding them back?
Asian football teams struggled significantly at the 2026 World Cup, with all AFC representatives eliminated before the quarterfinals. Experts suggest that while the region is investing more in the sport, a competitive gap remains between Asian teams and the global elite.
Why it matters
The performance of Asian teams at the World Cup serves as a benchmark for the global development and professionalization of football outside of traditional powerhouses.
For a brief moment, it felt like this would be a good summer for Asia.
The 2026 World Cup began with South Korea's electrifying victory over the Czech Republic. Then, over the next four days, teams from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) went undefeated, largely through draws.
Soccer Edition It's not just Cape Verde: African soccer is having a World Cup moment Luck turned on the tournament's sixth day. And when the losses rained down on Asia, they poured.
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