How World Cup expansion is driving Asia’s naturalisation arms race

The recent match between the United Arab Emirates and Iraq in the Asian World Cup qualifiers exemplifies a significant shift in football dynamics in Asia, driven by the World Cup's expansion from 32 to 48 teams. With Asia's allocation of spots doubling from four to eight, nations are increasingly turning to foreign-born players to bolster their squads. In the UAE's case, over half of their starting XI against Iraq were foreign-born, illustrating a naturalisation arms race among Asian teams eager to qualify for the prestigious tournament. Historically, only six teams—Japan, South Korea, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Australia, and North Korea—have made multiple World Cup appearances, but this new trend could change the landscape of Asian football, allowing a wider array of nations to compete at the highest level.