Australia, rebuilding after the World Cup, is looking beyond Wednesday's qualifier here with Bahrain and towards winning next year's Asian Cup.

The Socceroos were the first team to qualify for Asia's football showpiece and hope to finish top of their Group D to be seeded in December's draw for next year's finals in Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia.

Brett Emerton, one of Australia's stars at the World Cup in Germany in June, believes the Australians can win the Asian Cup at their first attempt next July if they perform to their potential.

"I think we've got a good enough team on paper to do that, obviously we have to go there and perform so it's totally up to us," said Emerton at a welcome for the World Cup squad here Monday.

"South Korea and Japan are our main competition, but as we showed in the World Cup we can compete with them.

"On paper we've got a good squad, so hopefully we can go there and do the job."

Ranked 38 after reaching the last 16 of the World Cup, Australia is the highest-placed Asian nation on FIFA's standings.

The Socceroos overwhelmed Japan 3-1 at the World Cup and was the only Asian nation to advance to the second round in Germany.

Australia received a shock when they crashed 2-0 in Kuwait in their last Asian Cup group match and striker John Aloisi says it is vital Australia learns its lesson and prepare better for overseas Asian matches.

"The (logistical) dangers we'll face (at the Asian Cup) are like we had in Kuwait - the heat and getting there just a couple of days before the game is difficult," Aloisi said."