Australia aims to top World Cup qualifying in the Asia groups and avoid another tricky route to the 2026 finals in North America after needing to grind to reach Qatar and Russia, defender Aziz Behich said.
Australia had to win a playoff against the United Arab Emirates to reach Qatar last year after missing out on direct qualification.
The Socceroos also had to win an intercontinental playoff against Honduras to qualify for Russia in 2018.
The expanded 48-team World Cup in Canada, the United States and Mexico means Asia will have eight teams able to qualify directly in 2026, up from four at Qatar.
But the Socceroos are not drawing much comfort from the relatively easier route.
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“We want to top the group throughout the whole process, so that’s our main goal,” Behich told reporters on Monday.
“We’re not worried about how many teams qualify.
“We went through the playoff phase again last campaign and we don’t want to do that again.”
Australia, ranked 27th in the world and fourth in Asia, ease into qualifying against low-ranked Bangladesh in Melbourne on Thursday.
The Socceroos should have little bother topping a group featuring world number 96 Palestine and 104th-ranked Lebanon.
Australia’s players will also be boosted from being able to play more games in front of home fans, having been forced off-shore through much of the Qatar qualifying cycle due to COVID-19 restrictions.
“It was difficult for us, no home games pretty much, so we’re excited that the first game is at home in front of our fans,” Behich said.
“It’s exciting and we’re all raring to go.
“Now teams have to play in Australia and we’re always confident at home.”
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