After four losses to begin the competition, Sydney Thunder have found their rhythm, confidence and form, their latest result a win over the Hobart Hurricanes that helped them stay alive in the tournament

The Report by Daniel Brettig08-Jan-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsThe Hobart Hurricanes batsmen, save George Bailey, failed to help themselves at a raucous Bellerive Oval•Cricket Australia

Before this tournament, the Sydney Thunder general manager Nick Cummins indicated that the defending champions needed to attack BBL06 as though they were the bottom team.Having started with four consecutive defeats, they had no choice but to follow this dictum. Two wins later, the Thunder will have a few other sides looking over their shoulders.This was a comfortable victory over the Hobart Hurricanes at a raucous Bellerive Oval, made all the more significant for the identities of the principal contributors: Fawad Ahmed, Carlos Brathwaite, James Vince and Shane Watson.Containing interestsLegspin is an inherently attacking art, devised to fool batsmen and harvest wickets for the price of a few boundaries. However, the truncated nature of T20 means economy can be as valuable as incisiveness, as Fawad amply showed on the same ground where he prospered for Victoria in the 2015 Sheffield Shield final.Conceding just 19 from four overs, Fawad sapped much of any potential momentum from the Hurricanes’ innings, following up from the early wickets procured by Clint McKay and Pat Cummins in the first two overs of the innings. His accuracy also meant a rare expensive outing for Chris Green was not overly damaging, and kept George Bailey from spreading his wings too far in the most spinal innings from among Hobart’s batsmen.Carlos Brathwaite contributed to Sydney Thunder’s win with two wickets on debut•Getty Images

Taking chargeWatson is the only man left from the powerful Khawaja-Kallis-Hussey-Watson quartet that drove the Thunder so far towards a maiden BBL title last summer. Early in this tournament he was absent through injury, much as the Thunder themselves were unable to offer the sort of presence expected.But a superb return catch to account for Kevin Pietersen in the narrow home win over Melbourne Stars marked Watson’s first major contribution to the campaign, and here he followed up with an innings to not only secure victory but also add to the Thunder’s problematic net run-rate. In the space of 31 balls he struck five sixes, a haul not quite in Chris Lynn territory but still two more than the Hurricanes managed in their entire innings.New dogs, old tricksHaving lost Eoin Morgan and Andre Russell to England and injury respectively, the Thunder needed swift returns for their investments in their replacements James Vince and Brathwaite; both came to the party in welcome ways.Brathwaite’s fast medium lacks Russell’s potential for the explosive, but he made up for the pace differential with canny slower balls to deceive first Dan Christian and then Jon Wells. Vince then put together a smart introductory innings, helping to pile up 58 without loss from the opening Powerplay and effectively muting the Hurricanes and their decidedly partisan crowd. The Thunder are still in with a chance, and Brathwaite and Vince did plenty to keep them there.

Tottenham Hotspur have frequently sent scouts to keep an eye on Bayer Leverkusen centre-back Edmond Tapsoba, who could be available for as little as £45m according to Fabrizio Romano.

Are Tottenham signing Tapsoba?

Now in charge of a defence that was in disarray last season, Ange Postecoglou has no time to waste in strengthening his backline this summer.

Davinson Sanchez and Eric Dier have been tipped to leave Tottenham this window, while loanee Clement Lenglet has returned to Barcelona, meaning that Postecoglou is likely to need new faces to make up the numbers in defence.

One of those that has been readily linked with a move to north London is Edmond Tapsoba of Bayer Leverkusen. The Burkina Faso international has blossomed into one of the Bundesliga's best central defenders and it seems inevitable that he will move onto bigger and better things this summer.

Speaking on his Here We Go podcast, Romano insisted that Spurs are one of the leading candidates for his signature, having claimed that Tottenham's scouts have frequently gone to watch the 24-year-old.

"I keep saying that Tapsoba is a priority target because they [Spurs] love Tapsoba. Tottenham scouts have been there many times this year to follow Tapsoba. So, he is a player they really love and they feel is perfect for Premier League football."

"He is a leader. So, there are many factors in a deal and Tottenham think he is a fantastic option".

When quizzed about how much he thought Tapsoba would fetch in the current market, Romano suggested approximately £45-50m, potentially with some add-ons. The top end of that valuation, excluding add-ons, would make him Spurs' second most expensive player of all-time, as per Tranfsermarkt.

Tapsoba, who has been hailed as "frightening", is not the only defensive name on Spurs' shortlist, however, with Marc Guehi, Tosin Adarabioyo and Micky van de Ven all having been linked.

Would Tapsoba make Spurs better?

Having featured 33 times in the Bundesliga last season and five times in the Champions League, Tapsoba was given plenty of opportunities to progress, and he took those opportunities.

Tapsoba is a modern centre-back and is comfortable stepping out of defence and moving the ball directly up the pitch. Compared to other centre-backs in the Bundesliga last season, he ranked in the top 13% for progressive carries per 90 (1.25) and the top 10% for progressive passes (5.30).

He is good under pressure, rarely gifting possession to the opposition, and generally employs a good range of accurate passing. However, his major strength is one-v-one defending, with the 24-year-old coming out on top on 71.4% of occasions he is dribbled at.

Spurs' defensive shoddiness last season must be improved upon if they have any hope of returning to the Champions League places, with Taposba potentially being a solid foundation on which Postecoglou can build.

It is one of the crimes against football that we haven't had the opportunity to see certain players work under some of the best managers that the sport has to offer. We've seen potential legendary link-ups crushed, forced to remain in YouTube thumbnails forever, rather than the dreamland of shaking hands in the technical area. Let's face it, who wouldn't have loved Alan Shearer in a Sir Alex Ferguson side?

Fortunately, however, when it comes to Carlo Ancelotti, and Neymar, we may not have to worry about missing an incredible partnership, with the current Real Madrid boss linked with the Brazil national team management role upon the expiry of his current Los Blancos contract in La Liga.

As it turns out, Neymar is a big fan of the veteran manager too.

Who could be the next Brazil manager?

Since Tite's departure after a 2022 World Cup to forget in Qatar – in which Brazil were knocked out on penalties by Croatia in the last eight – the future of the national team has been somewhat up in the air.

According to reports in Brazil (via Marca), however, Ancelotti is on course to become the new national team manager upon the expiry of his Real Madrid contract, which runs out in June of 2024.

It would signal the start of the iconic manager's international career after essentially completing club football, winning almost every trophy on offer, including the Champions League on four occasions.

Taking charge of AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain, Napoli, Bayern Munich, and Real Madrid, just to name a few, everywhere Ancelotti has gone, trophies have inevitably followed.

Now, a return to glory for Brazil could follow after a frustrating spell in the last few years resulted in continuous heartbreak for the likes of Neymar and co.

What did Neymar say about Carlo Ancelotti?

Speaking to TV Band, Neymar said (via Goal): "We will have the opportunity to have a foreign coach. Ancelotti has won everything and I am sure he will teach us a lot."

In the same interview, the PSG winger also said (via AS): "I know it’s the priority of the National Team. The President wants to sign him and as players we also want it to happen. For myself, for Vini [Vinicius Jr, for [Eder] Militao.

“We all know him, we know how amazing he is.

"To have him in the team would be very important. But there is nothing confirmed as of yet. We hope that he comes after his contract ends”.

West Ham United have set their sights on a new defensive midfielder this summer – Manchester City's Kalvin Phillips.

Is Kalvin Phillips going to join West Ham?

After a debut season at the Etihad that was plagued by injury and fitness concerns, Phillips had to endure some tough times last campaign. For the most part, he could only sit and watch as his teammates went on to win the treble, managing only 593 minutes across all competitions for Man City.

Despite this, journalist Dean Jones has stated that West Ham are interested in signing the 27-year-old, perhaps offering him a second chance at a fresh start.

Discussing Declan Rice's potential move to the Premier League champions, Jones told The Football Terrace YouTube channel: "I think that is another factor that comes into this equation that we have to weigh up. And one that for West Ham it would absolutely appeal to. I know that we're talking about £100m here all the time in terms of the figure."

"Man City have a player that they're interested in. So maybe there is some manoeuvring that could be done here."

Whether Phillips would be used as a makeweight in Man City's push to sign Rice is unclear, but with Rodri already ahead of the Englishman in the pecking order, and Mateo Kovacic's imminent arrival at the Etihad, Phillips may consider a move away to aid his opportunities of getting first-team football.

The £150k-per-week England international is a firm favourite of Gareth Southgate's, but the England boss may have a dilemma over selecting him for the 2024 European Championship if he endures another season of minimal game time. This could be of benefit to West Ham, who could certainly promise him regular minutes.

Why would West Ham want Phillips?

Ignoring Phillips' stuttering performances last season, which were adversely affected by injuries, it is clear to see why West Ham would be interested in the holding midfielder. Dubbed the "Yorkshire Pirlo" during his time at Leeds United, Phillips quickly established himself as a top-quality Premier League player.

Analysing his debut Premier League season with Leeds, it is obvious why Manchester City, and now West Ham, love him so much.

While his short passing is only slightly above average (88.7% accuracy), his long and medium passing sets him apart from others. Compared to Premier League midfielders during the 2020/21 season, he was in the top 4% for long passes completed per 90 (8.15) and the top 20% for medium passes completed per 90 (21.61).

His ability to play long diagonal passes out to the wing made him a great asset for Leeds, and teamed with his defensive work it made him a phenomenal all-round midfielder.

Defensively, during the 2020/21 season, he was in the top 15% or higher per 90 for tackles (2.74), blocks (1.82), clearances (1.96) and tackles in the defensive third (1.41). Considering Phillips featured in a mid-table Leeds side during that campaign, it's obvious to see why the midfielder is in such high demand.

Watch more of The Football Terrace HERE!

With Tottenham Hotspur now plotting to strengthen following the appointment of Ange Postecoglou, one transfer rumour that has particularly caught the eye is the links to Manchester United winger, Jadon Sancho.

According to a recent report from the Daily Star, the Lilywhites are said to be interested in making a £50m move for the England international this summer, with the 23-year-old having initially made the switch to Old Trafford on a £73m deal back in 2021.

The former Borussia Dortmund ace looks likely to be moved on by the Red Devils this summer amid claims that Erik ten Hag is willing to cash in on the 5 foot 11 trickster, with an asking price of around £60m having been suggested.

The one-time Manchester City youth product is currently facing such uncertainty at the Theatre of Dreams having provided just 18 goals and assists in 79 games across all fronts over the last two seasons, although those at N17 may well be hoping that they can revive the £350k-per-week forward's fortunes if he is to make the move to the capital over the coming weeks and months.

Should Tottenham sign Jadon Sancho?

There is no denying that Sancho is not looking like the player who previously burst onto the scene at Dortmund, having notably racked up 114 goals and assists in just 137 games for the Bundesliga side, prior to making his return to England.

That stellar form had unsurprisingly earned the wide man rave reviews, with his compatriot and former teammate Jude Bellingham having dubbed him "frightening" and "scary" back in 2021 due to the sheer scale of his talent.

That version of the London-born whiz would no doubt be a real bonus for Spurs if they could wrap up a deal, with there a potential for Sancho to form a devastating attacking partnership with his England colleague, Harry Kane, at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

With it looking as if Kane will not be sold by chairman Daniel Levy this summer, the club's record scorer is set to lead the line yet again next term, having only recently ended the 2022/23 campaign with a staggering haul of 30 league goals to his name.

As Sancho's assist record in Germany would illustrate – a total of 64 assists in all competitions – the playmaker could well help to provide quality service to the 29-year-old in attack, while the current United man has also shown a willingness to try and make things happen at the top end of the in recent times, as he ranks in the top 8% among his European peers for touches in the attacking penalty area.

Even amid his current woes, the fleet-footed ace still ranks in the top 20% for shot-creating actions as a further marker of his creative ability in the final third, again suggesting that he could be the man to deliver the goods to Kane on a regular basis.

Of course – as the most recent campaign has shown – the latter man is almost able to make the difference on his own, yet having a fit and firing Sancho alongside him in the attack could be a truly mouthwatering proposition.

Southampton finally announced Russell Martin as their new manager on Wednesday and now look set to ramp up their preparations for the new Championship campaign.

Martin arrives from Swansea City with a reputation for playing free-flowing football, which supporters will now hope to see at St Mary's following their relegation from the Premier League.

The Saints released a number of players following the expiration of their contracts earlier this month, but they have yet to officially sign or sell anyone.

However, with speculation continuing to grow regarding the future of striker Nathan Tella, Martin's first port of call may well be bringing in an adequate replacement.

Three clubs have reportedly made their interest in Tella known, but the Saints may potentially have priced each of those out of the market by valuing him at £15m.

It may well be that the Saints' resolve breaks as the window goes on, though, and they could do with signing a replacement sooner rather than later.

According to the Sheffield Star, Sheffield Wednesday striker Josh Windass is one of those being eyed up by the Saints.

What would Josh Windass bring to Southampton?

The report suggests that with Windass now into the final year of his contract at Hillsborough, Southampton are ready to test the waters with an opening bid.

Wednesday are currently without a manager following Darren Moore's shock departure this week and face a second major setback should Windass move on.

The 29-year-old followed in his father Dean's footsteps last month when scoring the winning goal in a play-off final to fire Wednesday past Barnsley and back into the Championship, earning himself iconic status among Owls fans in the process.

Windass' antics off the pitch have seen him labelled a "crackpot" by former Rangers favourite Andy Little, but he also impressed on it during his time at Ibrox as he scored 13 goals in 33 appearances in his final Scottish Premiership campaign.

Moves to Wigan Athletic and Wednesday followed, and he has continued to show his quality across three-and-a-half years with the latter. Windass scored 12 goals last season and assisted another seven in 37 appearances as Wednesday ended their wait for a return to the Championship.

It would be difficult to argue the case of Windass – valued at £4m by Football Observatory – being an upgrade on Tella should the latter swap St Mary's for Turf Moor, where he scored 17 goals on loan last season.

However, Windass has the ability to both score and assist, as shown by his 0.66 goal involvements per 90 minutes in League One last season. That compares to 0.79 for Tella in the Championship, as per FBref.

Windass can also bring other qualities to Southampton, such as his ability to play off the striker or on the right, with his 3.58 crosses per 90 minutes an increase on Tella's 2.24.

There are similarities between the pair in terms of tackles won per 90 (0.47 for Tella compared to 0.40 for Windass) and interceptions (0.36 v 0.26).

Keeping hold of Tella would be the ideal scenario for Martin, but with rival clubs circling, it makes perfect sense for Southampton to kick off their summer spending with a move for a possible replacement in Windass.

Talks between Arsenal and Ajax over the transfer of Jurrien Timber are at an "advanced stage" as the player himself "wants the move", claims Sky Sports reporter Mark McAdam.

Arsenal transfer news – What's the latest on Jurrien Timber

The Gunners were agonisingly close to ending their almost two-decade title drought last season, but a lack of squad depth, especially in defensive areas, cost them in the end.

It looks like Mikel Arteta and the board don't want that happening again, so they have greenlit a summer of massive spending for the Premier League runners-up.

So far, the north London club have spent £65m to secure the signature of Kai Havertz from cross-city rivals Chelsea and look to be very close to finalising a £105m deal for West Ham United captain Declan Rice.

The next player on Edu's list looks to be Ajax defender Timber, with the club edging closer to an agreement with the Dutch giants over an estimated fee of £40m.

The player is also said to be extremely keen on the move, and that desire to be a part of the project is an important factor for Arteta, per Sky Sports reporter Mark McAdam.

He explained the situation on Sky Sports (via Football Daily), saying:

"Talks are continuing between Arsenal and Ajax with regards to the defender Jurrien Timber. They're described as being at an advanced stage at the moment as well, the final valuation and structure still being discussed between the player and, of course, Arsenal.

"He wants the move which is key for Mikel Arteta, and once again Mikel Arteta getting his three key transfer targets very early in the window, so some significant business in that respect."

How Good is Jurrien Timber?

The 22-year-old has excelled for the Dutch giants since he debuted for the senior side in 2020, making 121 appearances, 15 of which were in the UEFA Champions League.

During his three full seasons for the Amsterdam club, he has never achieved a lower average rating for a season than 6.89 and even managed to hit a genuinely impressive rating of 7.40 in the 2021/22 season, per WhoScored.

One of the 5 foot 10 dynamo's best traits is his ability to play multiple roles across the backline. During his time with Ajax, he has been utilised as both a right-back and a centre-back, which could make him the dream player for a team like Arsenal.

Over the last year, Arteta has implemented a style that sees Ben White play as a right-back but then come back into the middle of the pitch when the team is in possession, playing as a de facto third centre-back.

Adding Timber would provide some much-needed competition in that role and allow either himself or White to fill in at centre-back if needed, potentially avoiding another William Saliba situation next year.

If people needed any more convincing of the Utrecht-born gem's quality, just listen to Virgil Van Dijk, who said:

"I wasn't nearly as far along as he is now [at the same age], I have nothing but praise for him. He is a great player and a true professional. He has so much potential."

Should Edu and Co get this deal over the line, Arsenal could well be in for another year of challenging Manchester City for the Premier League title.

A round-up of the Group B matches on the opening day of the 2016-17 Vijay Hazare trophy

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Feb-2017

Dinesk Karthik’s 118 off 97 balls took Tamil Nadu to 314 for 8 and set up their eventual 42-run win over Delhi at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack. After being put in, Tamil Nadu’s openers Kaushik Gandhi (41) and Ganga Sridhar Raju (33) came good, which took the team to 94 for 2 when Karthik came out. Karthik began by adding 58 for the fourth wicket with Vijay Shankar, before sharing a 105-run fifth-wicket stand with B Indrajith. Karthik was bowled by Ashish Nehra with the score on 276, having struck 13 fours and three sixes. Thereafter, Indrajith, and Antony Dhas’ late cameo ensured a strong finish. Nehra finished with 4 for 39 in nine overs.Shikhar Dhawan dominated the early part of Delhi’s chase, scoring 23 in an opening stand of 32 with Gautam Gambhir. Following Dhawan’s dismissal, Gambhir added 86 with Dhruv Shorey. Both batsmen struck half-centuries, but Delhi slid from 118 for 1 to 136 for 4. A late half-century stand for the seventh wicket between Milind Kumar and Pawan Negi brought the chase back to life. But Delhi’s hopes came crashing down with Milind’s dismissal for 68, with 49 still needed. Delhi were bowled out shortly thereafter for 272.At the KIIT Stadium, Gurinder Singh’s career-best 61 at No. 7 took Tripura to a tense two-wicket win in a slow-scoring thriller against Kerala. After electing to bowl, Tripura restricted Kerala to 233 for 9, helped new-ball bowler Abhijit Sarkar’s 3 for 41. In reply, Tripura made 235 for 8 in 49.2 overs to win with four balls to spare.That Kerala were lifted to 233 was down to captain Sachin Baby and Salman Nizar, who helped them recover from 60 for 5. The duo shared a 120-run stand before Baby was bowled for 77 by Sanjay Majumder. But Nizar carried on and remained unbeaten on 82 – his best List A score – as Kerala scored 53 runs in the last nine overs. Like Kerala, Tripura were helped by a sixth-wicket partnership. Gurinder, who walked out at 86 for 5, took them to 161 in the company of Yashpal Singh before the latter was caught behind off Sandeep Warrier. Sanjay Majunder then dominated a seventh-wicket stand of 49 before both batsmen fell on the same score. But Sarkar and Dwaipayan Bhattacharjee fought nerves to see their team through.Maharashtra won a run glut against Himachal Pradesh by 25 runs in Tangi. After being inserted, Maharashtra put up 376 for 7 on the back of debutant Ruturaj Gaikwad’s maiden List A century. Likewise, Prashant Chopra struck a century opening the innings in Himachal’s chase, but left-arm spinner Jagdish Zope’s 4 for 60 on List A debut ensured Himachal were bowled out for 351.Gaikwad set up Maharashtra’s platform with a 167-run opening stand with Vijay Zol (62). He added 53 more for the second wicket with Ankit Bawne before being bowled by Bipul Sharma’s left-arm spin. Naushad Shakih then took charge of proceedings, and along with Shrikant Mundhe, punished Himachal. Naushad struck 72 off 39 balls with eight fours and three sixes, while Mundhe’s 42 came off 20 balls and with the help of three fours and as many sixes.Chopra’s even 100 in the chase came off 85 balls. He began by putting on 98 with his opening partner Ankush Bains (38), before following it up with 68 with Robin Bist (46) for the second wicket. With Bist falling for 46, caught off Anupam Sanklecha, Himachal were in a bit of a wobble at 227 for 6. But Ankit Kaushik mounted a late fightback, and along with Bipul Sharma (20) and Pankaj Jaiswal (24), took Maharashtra close. But Zope, who had taken out the openers, returned to dismiss the last two batsmen. Kaushik was unbeaten on 59 off 34 balls, with five fours and four sixes.

A big update has emerged on Aston Villa and their attempts to bolster their defensive options ahead of the 2023/24 campaign…

What's the latest on Pau Torres to Aston Villa?

According to Football Insider, the Villans are in contact with Villarreal over a deal to sign central defender Pau Torres in the summer transfer window.

The report claims that Unai Emery has made the Spain international his number one target and that the club are now closing in on a swoop for the 26-year-old titan.

It states that they are making progress over a transfer and that it is set to take a fee of at least £40m, which would be a club record, to get it over the line.

Would Pau Torres be a good signing for Aston Villa?

The Premier League side appointed Monchi as their new president of football operations recently and securing a deal for Torres would represent his first blinder as the LaLiga ace would be a terrific addition to the squad.

It would be a masterclass from the former Sevilla supremo as he would be providing Emery with a top-quality left-footed defender who excels at keeping the ball away from his own box and using his ability in possession to progress his team up the pitch.

Over the last 365 days, the Villarreal star, who talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbed "wonderful" on the ball, ranks in the top 4% or higher amongst his positional peers across the Men's Big Five Leagues for progressive passes and progressive carries per 90.

Whereas, Tyrone Mings does not rank higher than the top 47% of players in the same category for either statistic over the last 365 days of action.

This suggests that Monchi could improve Villa's ability to play out from the back by landing an upgrade on the left-footed England international on the ball, given that Torres is one of the best players in the major leagues when it comes to breaking lines and driving up the pitch to make things happen for his team.

The Spaniard has also produced consistently impressive and dominant performances for his club in LaLiga in recent seasons.

He averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.04 across 34 league outings in 22/23 and won 61% of his individual duels, which came after the colossal ace won 66% of his battles and averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.09 in 21/22.

Mings, on the other hand, has averaged a rating of 6.91 in the Premier League across the last two campaigns, indicating that Torres would also be an upgrade on the current Villa defender in terms of his average performance level at the back.

Therefore, Monchi could land his first masterclass by getting this deal over the line for the defender as his statistics suggest that he would be a sensational addition to Emery's options in defence.

نجح منتخب فلسطين في تحقيق فوز كبير على نظيره بنجلاديش، بخماسية دون رد في اللقاء الذي أقيم بينهما مساء اليوم.

واستضاف ملعب استاد جابر الأحمد الدولي مباراة فلسطين وبنجلاديش في ثالث جولات الدور الثاني بتصفيات كأس آسيا وكأس العالم 2026.

ويتواجد منتخب فلسطين في المجموعة التاسعة والأخيرة، التي تضم إلى جواره منتخبات أستراليا ولبنان وبنجلاديش.

فيديو | الإمارات تهزم اليمن بثنائية في تصفيا آسيا لكأس العالم 2026

سجل أهداف منتخب فلسطين الثنائي عدي الدباغ (3 أهداف) وشهاب قنبر (هدفين) في الدقائق 43 و45 و49 و53 و77.

بهذا الفوز يرتفع رصيد منتخب فلسطين إلى 4 نقاط محتلًا المركز الثاني في ترتيب المجموعة التي يتصدرها منتخب أستراليا بتسعة نقاط.

الجدير بالذكر، أن قارة آسيا تمتلك 8 مقاعد مباشرة في المونديال، إضافة إلى مقعد مؤهل عبر الملحق، لا سيما وأن الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم “فيفا” قرر توسيع قاعدة المنتخبات المشاركة لتضم 48 منتخبًا وليس 32 كالسابق.

ويشارك في التصفيات 36 منتخبًا تم تقسيمها لتسع مجموعات بواقع 4 فرق في كل مجموعة.

يتأهل أول فريقين من كل مجموعة إلى الدور النهائي من تصفيات آسيا لكأس العالم، وتحصل أيضاً على بطاقات التأهل المباشر إلى كأس آسيا 2027.

ويتم تقسيم 18 منتخبًا إلى 3 مجموعات بتواجد 6 منتخبات في كل مجموعة تتنافس بنظام الدوري المكون من مرحلتي ذهاب وإياب، ويتأهل أول فريقين من كل مجموعة (المجموع 6 منتخبات) مباشرة إلى نهائيات كأس العالم 2026.

ويشارك أصحاب المركزين الثالث والرابع من مجموعات الدور الثالث، ويتم تقسيمهم إلى مجموعتين، ويتأهل متصدر كل مجموعة إلى المونديال مباشرة، بينما يصطدم وصيفي المجموعتين، ويتأهل الفائز منهما إلى الملحق العالمي. أهداف مباراة فلسطين وبنجلاديش