Qatar was drawn into Group A with South Korea and Oman. Group B includes Bahrain, Iraq, China, and Jordan. Group C features Kuwait, the UAE, Hong Kong, and India.
And Group D includes Japan, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Australia.
The tournament will be held in Kuwait from January 15–26, 2026.
The top two teams from each group will move on to the main round, where eight teams will compete in two round-robin groups.
The leading two from each will reach the semifinals and secure spots at the 2027 World Championship in Germany.
Qatar is the title holder.