Socceroos secure World Cup place with come-from-behind win over Saudi Arabia
Australia needed to avoid heavy defeat to reach North America
Connor Metcalfe and Mitch Duke score in 2-1 win in Jeddah
It probably got a bit more tense than it should have for a while, but all the disclaimers can now finally be set aside. The Socceroos no longer have “one foot in the door”, nor have they “all but qualified”. After their 2-1 win over Saudi Arabia in Jeddah, it’s official: Australia will be at the 2026 World Cup in North America.
Half a world away from home, the final whistle was mostly greeted by silence from the stands but nothing could contain the jubilation of the Australians. A campaign that began with a winless opening window against Bahrain and Indonesia has now ended with wins over Japan and Saudi Arabia and automatic qualification. Mission accomplished.
