AFC teams hold their own against European competition in first games of World Cup
Nations from the AFC have recorded two wins and two draws against European opponents in four group-stage matches in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, highlighting Asia's tactical growth.
Hwang In-beom, left, celebrates after scoring the Korean national team's first goal during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group A football match between Korea and the Czech Republic on June 11.AP/YONHAP
Asian football has had a strong start in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, underscoring the region's growing competitiveness on the world stage.
Nations from the AFC have recorded two wins and two draws in four group-stage matches against European opponents.
No. 18 Japan drew 2-2 with No. 8 Netherlands in a Group F match on Sunday.
No. 23 Australia defeated No. 26 Turkey in a Group D match on Saturday. In Group B, Qatar, ranked No. 49, rallied from a 1-0 deficit against No. 19 Switzerland to secure a 1-1 draw with a stoppage-time equalizer on Saturday.
And on Thursday, No. 22 Korea secured a 2-1 victory over No. 43 Czech Republic in a Group A match.
What makes the AFC nations' unbeaten record against Europe noteworthy is that each team achieved the feat through a different approach.
Korea benefited from a tailored plan to counter the opponent's games — which were centered on aerial set-pieces — and pretournament high-altitude training.
Qatar held Switzerland to a single goal before launching a late offensive that produced a stoppage-time equalizer. Australia, on the other hand, deployed the five-back 5-4-1 formation, sitting behind two compact defensive lines and striking through sharp counterattacks to claim all three points.
Japan relied on its trademark high-speed, up-tempo football and fluid formation changes to consistently outwork its opponent and frustrate one of Europe's traditional powerhouses.
Japan's Koki Ogawa, left, celebrates with teammates after a second goal against the Netherlands during a 2026 FIFA World Cup Group F football match on June 14.AP/YONHAP
The strong performances reflect how Asian teams have embraced the modern trend of pragmatic football.
While football previously focused on how long a squad possessed the ball, teams are increasingly willing to concede control of the match if it allows them to maintain stability in their defense line while maximizing scoring opportunities by thoroughly analyzing opponents' weaknesses.
Asian teams demonstrated such tactical flexibility, but many European teams struggled to move beyond familiar patterns of play.
Turkey's 2-0 defeat to Australia was a prime example. Despite taking 30 shots in the match, Turkey failed to break Australia's defense. Rather than stretching Australia's defense with long-range shots or attacks down the flanks, Turkey repeatedly tried to play through congested central areas and failed to find a breakthrough.
Australia's Connor Metcalfe, center, celebrates with teammates after scoring their second goal during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group D football match between Australia and Turkey on June 13.AP/YONHAP
"The days of judging a team's competitiveness based on its continent are over," Lee Keun-ho, a commentator for the streaming platform Coupang Play, said. "Tactical flexibility, including the use of hydration breaks as strategic timeouts, will become more and more important. Coaches' capabilities are also going to make competitiveness between countries more pronounced."
Attention is now turning to whether the remaining AFC teams can continue their momentum.
Saudi Arabia faced Uruguay at 6 p.m. on Monday, with Iran going against New Zealand at the same time. Iraq will meet Norway at 6 p.m. on Tuesday. Jordan will take on Austria at 9 p.m. that day, and Uzbekistan will face Colombia at 8 p.m. on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Group E's Germany defeated Curaçao by 7-1. Ivory Coast defeated Ecuador 1-0 thanks to a winning goal in the 45th minute of the second half, and Sweden beat Tunisia 5-1 in Group F.
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This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
