Asian teams back to being 'easy points' after 6-game unbeaten run — 6 straight losses at World Cup

Asian football's brief moment of glory at the 2026 FIFA World Cup has faded fast. After a six-game unbeaten run to open the tournament, teams from the Asian Football Confederation have lost six consecutive matches, falling back into the role of easy points for their opponents, just as many had predicted.

Australia — not an Asian nation by geography but a member of the AFC — suffered a 0-2 defeat to host nation the United States on June 20 in a Group D second-round match at Seattle Stadium in Washington state.

Australia had dismantled European powerhouse Turkey 2-0 in their opener with sharp counter-attacking football, but they could not muster a response against a United States side missing injured captain Christian Pulisic. The loss extended the AFC's consecutive World Cup defeat streak to six matches.

The tournament had opened with a string of upsets suggesting Asia's so-called underdogs were ready to make noise. South Korea, in Group A, got things off to a strong start with a 2-1 comeback win over the Czech Republic, with Hwang In-beom (Feyenoord) and Oh Hyeon-gyu (Besiktas) scoring in quick succession in the second half.

In Group B, Qatar — the reigning Asian champion after winning the 2024 Asian Cup — salvaged a dramatic 1-1 draw against Switzerland thanks to a stoppage-time own goal. Japan then picked up the baton, holding European giant the Netherlands to a 2-2 draw in a direct contest. Saudi Arabia drew 1-1 with Uruguay, and Iran drew 2-2 with New Zealand.

The momentum evaporated quickly. Asia's losing streak began when Iraq fell 1-4 to Norway in Group I, and the defeats have piled up since. Jordan, runner-up at the 2024 Asian Cup, lost 1-3 to Austria in Group J. Uzbekistan, making their World Cup debut, fell 1-3 to Colombia in Group K. Qatar's tournament then took a disastrous turn in Group B, as two red cards against Canada contributed to a 0-6 thrashing by the co-host.

South Korea then lost 0-1 to host Mexico despite an impressive overall performance, undone by a single defensive error. The results have been particularly painful for Asia's stronger sides — Qatar, South Korea and Australia have all lost to one of the three host nations.

Asian teams have historically struggled against CONCACAF opposition at the World Cup. Nations affiliated with the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football hold an 11-win, 1-draw, 1-loss record against AFC members in World Cup finals play.

Japan will be the next AFC side in action, taking on Tunisia in their Group F second match Sunday afternoon. Tunisia are in disarray after a 1-5 loss to Sweden that cost coach Sabri Lamouchi his job; the Tunisians have since appointed former Saudi Arabia manager Hervé Renard as his replacement.