Key Takeaway
For the sixth World Cup in a row, no team from the Asian Football Confederation made it past the first knockout round, winning only three games out of 29. Asian teams are competitive — up to a point.
Published July 16, 2026 · Category: News
Overview
For the sixth World Cup in a row, no team from the Asian Football Confederation made it past the first knockout round, winning only three games out of 29. Asian teams are competitive — up to a point.
Details
(Image credit: Luke Hales)
Source
Originally published at www.npr.org.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is "No Asian team managed to go far this World Cup (again). What's holding them back?" about?+
For the sixth World Cup in a row, no team from the Asian Football Confederation made it past the first knockout round, winning only three games out of 29. Asian teams are competitive — up to a point.
Who reported this story?+
This story was reported by NPR News.