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Analyzing AFC Format

I'm diving into the AFC format for 2026, which has 8 direct slots plus 1 playoff. Initially, I think there's an expanded format involving 8.5 slots? So Round 1 occurs in October 2023 with home-and-away matches featuring 20 teams. In Round 2, it’s 36 teams in 9 groups of 4, moving from November 2023 to June 2024. The top two advance to Round 3, split into 3 groups of 6. Round 4 features 6 teams in 2 groups competing for 2 additional slots.Reviewing AFC Playoff Structure

Runners-up advance to Round 5, where two teams will play home-and-away to determine the AFC representative for inter-confederation playoffs. The schedule for this includes FIFA international match windows in September, October, November 2024, and March, June 2025. For the AFC third round, matches are set for specific dates in 2024 and 2025. Round 4 will likely take place in late 2025, and intercontinental playoffs are expected in March 2026. However, I need clarification on whether the user refers to the 2026 schedule or the qualifiers for 2030/2034.Crafting a Clarifying Question

I want to make sure we're clear, so I’ll ask a concise and friendly question. I’ll offer options to make it easier for the user to respond. I’ll ask them to confirm which World Cup they mean (2026 or 2030) and whether they want: 1) a timeline of all stages, 2) a specific team's schedule (like China), 3) key points and qualification rules, or 4) an ICS calendar file. If they need a specific news link, I can summarize if they share it.