MIES (Switzerland) - Before First Round Window 3 action formally commences, there's a final slate of Window 2 games to be played among teams in Groups C and D.
In Group C, Iran faces Syria in Amman, followed by Iraq against the current toppers, Jordan.
Group D's action will feature Qatar taking on Saudi Arabia in Doha, and later, Lebanon hosts India in Zouk Mikael.
What makes these matchups stand out is that this is the first time many of these teams face off in the World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers. Iran and Syria will be sparring three times in the span of a week, while Jordan will battle Iraq twice. Even the two Group D games on June 29 will repeat on July 5.
So in many ways, the results on June 29 will set the early tempo for all eight sides heading into Window 3 on July 2.
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Iran have won two of their three games played in neutral venues in this World Cup Qualifiers campaign, with all those fixtures ending with margins higher than 12 points; each of those games were won by the team leading at half-time.
Qatar have won their last two games in the World Cup Qualifiers, as many victories as in their previous 13 games in the competition; they are yet to win more than two games in a single Qualifiers campaign.
Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman has scored 20 or more points in each of his three games for Saudi Arabia in the World Cup Qualifiers and will try to become the first player in the Asia region to score 20+ points in each of his first four games in the competition.
Iraq have lost their three games in the World Cup 2027 Qualifiers but are yet to lose more on the bounce in a single campaign.
Jordan have dished out 20 or more assists in five of their last seven games in the World Cup Qualifiers, including two of their three games in the current campaign; they are averaging 19.4 assists per game, the third highest average amongst all Asian teams to have played 20+ games in the Qualifiers.
Lebanon have won eight of their last nine games at home in the World Cup Qualifiers, with that defeat happening in the current campaign (83-86 v Qatar) and with the Lebanese averaging 91.9 points per game in that span.
India are still looking for their first victory in the World Cup Qualifiers, tallying 19 defeats in the competition; they have scored fewer than 75 points in each of their nine away games in the competition.
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