Key events
If Australia’s third round group including Japan, Saudi Arabia, China, Indonesia and Bahrain feels familiar, that’s because it should. As Joey Lynch explains:
“If familiarity does indeed breed contempt, Australia and Japan would be forgiven for having one of the most contemptuous rivalries in football. The reality is that their rivalry is one is largely built of mutual respect.
“This campaign will mark the fifth consecutive World Cup cycle the Socceroos and Samurai Blue have been paired in the same qualification group, continuing a trend that first began when Australia joined the Asian Football Confederation in 2006 – fresh off defeating Japan at the World Cup in Germany.”
More on Group C at:
Australia XI
Here is the Socceroos line-up in full.
Captain Maty Ryan returns to the starting line-up after sitting out the last of the second round qualifiers in June as he finalised his plans for the current season. The 32-year-old has since moved to Serie A giants AS Roma though is yet to make his mark with the gloves and should appreciate any minutes he gets with the Socceroos. Craig Goodwin is also back for his first match with the Socceroos since March and arrives with strong form for Al-Wehda in the Saudi Pro League behind him, while Martin Boyle will start on the opposite side.
Kusini Yengi will again lead the line after impressing in the second round of qualification, while Alessandro Circati will partner Harry Souttar in the centre of defence as Graham Arnold backs in youth at either end. But Nestory Irankunda has been unable to force his way into the starting line-up with the teenage sensation named as a sub. The 18-year-old was included in the Socceroos squad after overcoming an injury scare in training with Bayern Munich – here is that squad in full for this match against Bahrain, as well as the clash with Indonesia on 10 September:
Kick-off is 8.10pm at Robina Stadium on the Gold Coast, with more times covering just about every neck in the woods shown below:
Preamble
Martin Pegan
The road to the 2026 World Cup is a long and winding one and Australia have taken it further off the beaten track with a first men’s football international on the Gold Coast as they begin their third round qualification campaign against Bahrain.
The Socceroos breezed through the second round with a perfect record from six matches while blasting 22 goals without conceding, but will expect to face tougher tests from here. Graham Arnold’s side have been placed in Group C alongside familiar foes Japan and Saudi Arabia, as well as China, Indonesia and tonight’s opponents.
Australia have beaten Bahrain in all of their previous six meetings, though the 80th-ranked side are on a four-match unbeaten run and finished second in their group behind the UAE in the previous World Cup qualification stage. The most recent encounter between these sides might be relatively fresh in the memory as Australia won an Asian Cup warm-up match 2-0 earlier this year with Mitch Duke scoring after a Bahrain own goal.
Arnold would probably take that same result now with the margin for error tightening as the Socceroos chase a top-two finish in a tricky third round group to advance directly to the World Cup across the United States, Canada and Mexico. More pathways will open up if Australia finishes third or even fourth in their group, but the focus for the 24th-ranked side will rightly be on avoiding the playoffs this time around.