What went wrong for Asia at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and who can lead the region forward? From Australia's rise to the challenges facing Japan, South Korea and Iraq, David Gass and Matt Doyle explore which nations are best positioned to shape Asia's future.

This episode continues First Touch's Road to the 2030 World Cup series, previewing every confederation, the biggest storylines and the teams to watch on the road to 2030.

0:00 A Disappointing World Cup for Asia

3:14 The 2027 Asian Cup

5:51 Australia's Bright Future

10:55 Japan & South Korea

15:07 Iraq & the Road to 2030

More Episodes

🎙️ Africa's Road to the 2030 World Cup

🎙️ CONCACAF's Road to the 2030 World Cup

🎙️ UEFA's Road to the 2030 World Cup

⭐ Watch • Follow • Connect

🎥 Watch First Touch on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@FirstTouch

🌐 Explore more from Kickback Soccer Media:

https://kickbacksoccer.com

📰 Subscribe to the Kickback newsletter:

https://the-kickback.ghost.io

📲 Follow First Touch:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/firsttouch_ksm/

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/firsttouch.bsky.social

⭐ Enjoying First Touch? Follow the podcast, leave a rating, and write a review to help more soccer fans discover the show.