The AFC has held the draw for the second group phase of qualifiers for the 2018 Men’s World Cup, and the outcome will look familiar for many participating sides. Iran and Korea Rep are in the same group for the third consecutive qualifying campaign, as are Australia and Japan.

In the 2014 qualifiers, Iran and Korea Rep were both in Group A of the second group phase, and Australia and Japan were both in Group B. Team Melli won both matches, each by a 1-0 scoreline, as the Socceroos and Samurai Blue twice played to 1-1 draws. The same pairs also faced one another in the 2010 qualifiers, during which the Iran-Korea Rep matches were both draws, and the Aussies took four points off Japan.

Iran and Korea Rep were placed in Group A with China PR and Qatar, who faced one another twice in Group C of the first group phase. Likewise, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates met one another in the first group phase, as did Iraq and Thailand. These four teams ended up in Group B with Australia and Japan.

Each team will play ten matches, five home and five away, starting on THU 01 SEP 2016. When the phase completes on TUE 05 SEP 2017, the top two teams in each group qualify for Russia 2018. The third place teams will play off against one another, and the winner will meet a CONCACAF opponent for another chance to qualify.

• Group A: Iran, Korea Rep, Uzbekistan, China PR, Qatar, Syria
• Group B: Australia, Japan, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iraq, Thailand