Graham Arnold steps down as Socceroos coach

Graham Arnold has resigned as Socceroos coach, leaving Football Australia in a scramble to find a replacement ahead of next month’s crucial World Cup qualifiers.

Arnold had been under immense pressure since Australia’s 1-0 defeat to Bahrain on the Gold Coast and the 0-0 draw in Indonesia earlier this month, which has put the team’s chances of direct qualification for the 2026 tournament in peril.

He met with FA bosses earlier this week and chose to step aside for the good of the Socceroos, sources speaking under the condition of anonymity as they are not authorised to speak publicly have told this masthead.

Australia is currently fifth in Group C in the third round of Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup and meet bottom-placed China and top-placed Japan next month. Only the top two teams in the group will qualify directly, while the teams in third and fourth still have a chance of making it via the fifth round of qualifiers and beyond.

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