This Thursday at the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Australia will host Saudi Arabia in the third round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. With one win each in their four matches, both teams will be eager to improve their standings. Let’s take a look at the match prediction.
Australia currently sits in second place in Group C, thanks to a superior goal difference. The Socceroos will be aiming to secure three more points to maintain their position in the qualification spots.
In their last two encounters with Saudi Arabia, Australia has struggled, managing only a draw and a loss. However, they have never lost at home to the Saudis.
Saudi Arabia will arrive in Australia looking to navigate a tightly contested race for second place in the group. They have a -1 goal difference, with their only win coming against the weaker side, China. This victory marks Saudi Arabia’s sole win in their last five matches, and they have faced challenges in scoring. They failed to find the back of the net in their last two games, including a recent 0-0 draw with Bahrain. The Saudis are in a precarious position; any result other than a win could see them overtaken by Bahrain.