All four of Asia’s representatives in Brazil, including current AFC leaders Iran and Asian Cup champions Australia, will be in Pot 1.
Pot 2 features seven West Asian sides as well as Vietnam.
The Azkals of the Philippines ended up in Pot 3 after dropping 11 spots from March to 139th, joining Afghanistan, Palestine, and recent playoff winners India.
The fourth pot boasts five Southeast Asian sides including Bhutan, who drew headlines with their two-legged upset of Sri Lanka last month.
The final pot spans the continent, from Yemen in the west to Bangladeshi in the south, Laos in the southeast, and Chinese Taipei in the east.
The draw for the group stage, which begins on June 11, will take place on April 14 in Kuala Lumpur.
Pots for 2018 World Cup/2019 Asian Cup Joint Qualifying
Pot 1: Iran, Japan, South Korea, Australia, UAE, Uzbekistan, China, Iraq
Pot 2: Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Jordan, Bahrain, Vietnam, Syria, Kuwait
Pot 3: Afghanistan, Philippines, Palestine, Maldives, Thailand, Tajikistan, Lebanon, India
Pot 4: Timor-Leste, Kyrgyzstan, DPRK, Myanmar, Indonesia, Turkmenistan, Singapore, Bhutan
Pot 5: Malaysia, Bangladesh, Hong Kong, Yemen, Guam, Laos, Cambodia, Chinese Taipei
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