The third round of AFC matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification is played from 5 September 2024 to 10 June 2025.

The top two teams of each group will qualify directly for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while the third and fourth-placed teams will advance to the fourth round.

[3] The following teams finished first or second in their respective second round groups:[4] The draw for the third round was held on 27 June 2024 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

[4] The seeding for the draw was based on the FIFA Men's World Rankings on 20 June 2024 (shown in parentheses below).

The draw started with Pot 6 and concluded with Pot 1, with each team drawn being placed in the corresponding position sequentially in Group A, then B, then C.[6] The competition schedule is expected to be as follows:[1][7]