2026 AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualification

2026 AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualification
تصفيات كأس آسيا 23 سنة 2026
Tournament details
Host countriesJordan (Group A)
Myanmar (Group B)
Vietnam (Group C)
China (Group D)
Kyrgyzstan (Group E)
Thailand (Group F)
Cambodia (Group G)
Qatar (Group H)
United Arab Emirates (Group I)
Indonesia (Group J)
Tajikistan (Group K)
Dates3–9 September 2025[1]
Teams44 (from 1 confederation)
Venue11 (in 11 host cities)
Tournament statistics
Matches played66
Goals scored271 (4.11 per match)
Top scorer(s) Nathanael Blair
Odeh Al-Fakhouri
Kasra Taheri
(5 goals)
← 2024
2028 →

The 2026 AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualification was an international men's under-23 football competition which decided the participating teams of the 2026 AFC U-23 Asian Cup.

A total of 16 teams qualified to play in the final tournament, including Saudi Arabia who qualified automatically as host country.

Draw

Of the 47 AFC member associations, a total of 45 teams entered the competition.

A draw was held on 29 May 2025, at 15:00 (UTC+8) on the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.[2]

The teams were seeded based on a points system derived from their final rankings across the previous three editions of the Finals (2020, 2022, and 2024). Teams that indicated their intention to serve as qualification group hosts before the draw were placed in separate groups. Saudi Arabia automatically qualified for the final tournament as hosts,[3][4] thus the remaining 44 teams entered the qualification.

Pot 1 Pot 2 Pot 3 Pot 4
Host pot
Remaining Teams
Did not enter

Eligibility

Players born on or after 1 January 2003 were eligible to participate, in accordance with the age criteria set by the Asian Football Confederation.

Format

The 44 teams were divided into eleven groups of four teams each. In each group, teams played each other once at a centralized venue. The eleven group winners and the four best runners-up qualified for the final tournament.[4]

In each group, teams played each other once at a centralized venue. The eleven group winners and the four best runners-up qualified for the final tournament.[5]

Tiebreakers

Teams were ranked according to points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss), and if tied on points, the following tiebreaking criteria were applied, in the order given, to determine the rankings:[5]

  1. Points in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
  2. Goal difference in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
  3. Goals scored in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
  4. If more than two teams were tied, and after applying all head-to-head criteria above, a subset of teams were still tied, all head-to-head criteria above were reapplied exclusively to this subset of teams;
  5. Goal difference in all group matches;
  6. Goals scored in all group matches;
  7. Penalty shoot-out if only two teams were tied and they met in the last round of the group;
  8. Lower disciplinary points (yellow card = 1 point, red card as a result of two yellow cards = 3 points, direct red card = 3 points, yellow card followed by direct red card = 4 points);
  9. Drawing of lots.

Groups

All matches were played between 3 and 9 September 2025.

Group A

  • All matches were held in Jordan.
  • Times listed are UTC+3.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Jordan (H) 3 3 0 0 19 1 +18 9 Final tournament
2  Turkmenistan 3 2 0 1 8 3 +5 6
3  Bhutan 3 1 0 2 3 14 −11 3
4  Chinese Taipei 3 0 0 3 2 14 −12 0
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Turkmenistan 5–1 Chinese Taipei
  • Meredow 20', 43', 49'
  • Durdyýew 33'
  • Annamyradow 90+2'
 Report
  • Wei Chih-chuan 41'
Attendance: 30
Referee: Songkran Bunmeekiart (Thailand)
Jordan 11–0 Bhutan
 Report
Attendance: 1,250
Referee: Payam Heydari (Iran)
Bhutan 0–2 Turkmenistan
Report
  • Durdyýew 12' (pen.)
  • Meredow 90+3'
Attendance: 20
Referee: Mohamed Khaled (Bahrain)
Chinese Taipei 0–6 Jordan
Report
Attendance: 850
Referee: Nivon Robesh Gamini (Sri Lanka)
Chinese Taipei 1–3 Bhutan
  • Lin Chen 33'
 Report
  • Tenzin 62'
  • S. Dorji 81'
  • J. Dorji 90+3'
Attendance: 10
Referee: Payam Heydari (Iran)
Jordan 2–1 Turkmenistan
 Report
  • Berenow 90+4'
Attendance: 950
Referee: Abdullah Jamali (Kuwait)

Group B

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Japan 3 3 0 0 11 2 +9 9 Final tournament
2  Kuwait 3 1 1 1 2 6 −4 4
3  Afghanistan 3 1 0 2 2 5 −3 3
4  Myanmar (H) 3 0 1 2 2 4 −2 1
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Kuwait 0–0 Myanmar
Report
Attendance: 1,800
Referee: Nasrullo Kabirov (Tajikistan)
Japan 3–0 Afghanistan
 Report
Attendance: 340
Referee: Tuan Yaasin (Malaysia)
Myanmar 1–2 Japan
  • Swan Htet 80'
 Report
Attendance: 7,300
Referee: Veronika Bernatskaia (Kyrgyzstan)
Afghanistan 0–1 Kuwait
Report
  • M. Al-Enezi 47'
Attendance: 37
Referee: Ahmed Eisa Darwish (United Arab Emirates)
Myanmar 1–2 Afghanistan
  • Swan Htet 40'
 Report
Attendance: 952
Referee: Mohamad Issa (Lebanon)
Japan 6–1 Kuwait
  • Kawai 19', 40', 56'
  • Nwadike 32' (pen.)
  • Yada 42'
  • Goto 90+4'
 Report
  • Boodai 10'
Attendance: 85
Referee: Tuan Yaasin (Malaysia)

Group C

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Vietnam (H) 3 3 0 0 4 0 +4 9 Final tournament
2  Yemen 3 2 0 1 3 2 +1 6
3  Bangladesh 3 1 0 2 4 4 0 3
4  Singapore 3 0 0 3 2 7 −5 0
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Yemen 2–1 Singapore
 Report
  • Louka Tan 80'
Attendance: 322
Referee: Yahya Al-Balushi (Oman)
Vietnam 2–0 Bangladesh
 Report
Attendance: 3,019
Referee: Resul Mämmedow (Turkmenistan)
Bangladesh 0–1 Yemen
Report
  • Al-Awami 90+4'
Attendance: 365
Referee: Amir Arab Baraghi (Iran)
Singapore 0–1 Vietnam
Report
Attendance: 6,046
Referee: Choi Hyun-jai (South Korea)
Singapore 1–4 Bangladesh
 Report
Attendance: 459
Referee: Resul Mämmedow (Turkmenistan)
Vietnam 1–0 Yemen
 Report
Attendance: 6,879

Group D

  • All matches were held in China.
  • Times listed are UTC+8.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Australia 3 2 1 0 20 0 +20 7 Final tournament
2  China (H) 3 2 1 0 12 1 +11 7
3  Timor-Leste 3 1 0 2 7 8 −1 3
4  Northern Mariana Islands 3 0 0 3 0 30 −30 0
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Australia 14–0 Northern Mariana Islands
 Report
Xi'an Sports Training Center Pitch 1, Xi'an
Attendance: 89
Referee: Ahmed Khalil (Bahrain)
China 2–1 Timor-Leste
 Report
Attendance: 23,802
Referee: Chae Sang-hyeop (South Korea)
Timor-Leste 0–6 Australia
Report
Xi'an Sports Training Center Pitch 1, Xi'an
Attendance: 120
Referee: Venkatesh Ramachandran (India)
Northern Mariana Islands 0–10 China
Report
Attendance: 30,982
Referee: Wiwat Jumpao-on (Thailand)
Timor-Leste 6–0 Northern Mariana Islands
  • Freitas 38'
  • Lemos 45+1', 82'
  • Ribeiro 81'
  • Da Silva 90+2'
  • Dos Santos 90+4'
 Report
Xi'an Sports Training Center Pitch 1, Xi'an, Xi'an
Attendance: 69
Referee: Ahmed Khalil (Bahrain)
Australia 0–0 China
Report
Attendance: 33,022
Referee: Asker Nadjafaliev (Uzbekistan)

Group E

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Kyrgyzstan (H) 3 2 1 0 10 3 +7 7 Final tournament
2  Uzbekistan 3 2 1 0 8 3 +5 7
3  Palestine 3 1 0 2 7 4 +3 3
4  Sri Lanka 3 0 0 3 0 15 −15 0
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Uzbekistan 4–0 Sri Lanka
 Report
Attendance: 50
Referee: Du Jianxin (China)
Palestine 1–2 Kyrgyzstan
 Report
Attendance: 7,113
Referee: Abdullah Al Shehri (Saudi Arabia)
Sri Lanka 0–5 Palestine
Report
  • Abu El Haija 5'
  • Al-Tamra 50'
  • Taha 72'
  • Abu Illan 85'
  • Hasoun 90+1'
Attendance: 45
Referee: Ahmad Yacoub Ibrahim (Jordan)
Kyrgyzstan 2–2 Uzbekistan
 Report
Attendance: 9,547
Referee: Qasim Al-Hatmi (Oman)
Uzbekistan 2–1 Palestine
 Report
  • Sandouqa 70'
Attendance: 50
Referee: Ahmad Alaeddin (Lebanon)
Kyrgyzstan 6–0 Sri Lanka
  • Murzakhmatov 14', 45+5'
  • Merk 46'
  • Brauzman 60'
  • Abduzhaparov 68'
  • Datsiev 75'
 Report
Attendance: 11,775
Referee: Du Jianxin (China)

Group F

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Thailand (H) 3 2 1 0 10 3 +7 7 Final tournament
2  Lebanon 3 2 1 0 6 2 +4 7
3  Malaysia 3 1 0 2 8 3 +5 3
4  Mongolia 3 0 0 3 0 16 −16 0
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Malaysia 0–1 Lebanon
Report El Fadl 84'
Attendance: 40
Referee: Kim Woo-sung (South Korea)
Thailand 6–0 Mongolia
 Report
Attendance: 1,013
Referee: Mohammed Kanah (Syria)
Mongolia 0–7 Malaysia
Report
Attendance: 126
Referee: Sultan Mohamed Al-Hammadi (United Arab Emirates)
Lebanon 2–2 Thailand
 Report
Attendance: 1,366
Referee: Abdulhadi Al-Ruaile (Qatar)
Lebanon 3–0 Mongolia
  • Istambouli 8', 45+1'
  • El Fadl 10'
 Report
Attendance: 75
Referee: Daniel Elder (Australia)
Thailand 2–1 Malaysia
 Report
  • Aysar 40'
Attendance: 1,494
Referee: Kim Woo-sung (South Korea)

Group G

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Iraq 3 2 1 0 9 1 +8 7 Final tournament
2  Cambodia (H) 3 1 2 0 1 0 +1 5
3  Oman 3 1 1 1 1 1 0 4
4  Pakistan 3 0 0 3 1 10 −9 0
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Iraq 8–1 Pakistan
  • Faisal 32' (pen.)
  • Jasim 47', 66', 72'
  • Aayed 78', 90+4'
  • Younis 83'
  • Sadeq 85'
 Report
Attendance: 325
Referee: Hanna Hattab (Syria)
Cambodia 0–0 Oman
Report
Attendance: 1,578
Referee: Mohammed Al-Shammari (Qatar)
Oman 0–1 Iraq
Report
  • Qabeel 62'
Attendance: 349
Pakistan 0–1 Cambodia
Report
  • Yem Davit 31'
Attendance: 3,059
Referee: Dong Fangyu (China)
Oman 1–0 Pakistan
  • Bait Rabie 16'
 Report
Attendance: 356
Referee: Meder Tayçiev (Kyrgyzstan)
Iraq 0–0 Cambodia
Report
Attendance: 4,115
Referee: Mohammed Al-Shammari (Qatar)

Group H

  • All matches were held in Qatar.
  • Times listed are UTC+3.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Qatar (H) 3 3 0 0 17 2 +15 9 Final tournament
2  India 3 2 0 1 9 2 +7 6
3  Bahrain 3 1 0 2 11 4 +7 3
4  Brunei 3 0 0 3 0 29 −29 0
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Bahrain 0–2 India
Report
Attendance: 112
Referee: Oh Hyeon-jeong (South Korea)
Qatar 13–0 Brunei
  • El Sayed 4', 23', 54', 58'
  • Al-Sharshani 6'
  • Shanan 11' (pen.)
  • Surag 13'
  • Al-Hussein 20'
  • Muhammed 35'
  • Tamer 56', 90+5'
  • Brimil 70', 83'
 Report
Attendance: 204
Referee: Faisal Al-Balawi (Saudi Arabia)
Brunei 0–10 Bahrain
Report
  • Khalaidat 2'
  • Ebrahim 20'
  • Al-Khayyat 21'
  • Ghanem 22'
  • Bin Ahmed 26', 48'
  • Al-Moosawi 61'
  • Al-Khalaf 72'
  • Al-Subaei 87', 90+6'
Attendance: 50
Referee: Mohammad Ghabayen (Jordan)
India 1–2 Qatar
 Report
Attendance: 1,143
Referee: Adam Kersey (Australia)
India 6–0 Brunei
 Report
Attendance: 312
Referee: Faisal Al-Balawi (Saudi Arabia)
Qatar 2–1 Bahrain
 Report
  • Al-Khayyat 71'
Attendance: 500
Referee: Fu Ming (China)

Group I

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Iran 3 3 0 0 13 2 +11 9 Final tournament
2  United Arab Emirates (H) 3 2 0 1 17 3 +14 6
3  Hong Kong 3 1 0 2 1 6 −5 3
4  Guam 3 0 0 3 0 20 −20 0
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Iran 4–0 Hong Kong
  • Jafari 70'
  • Razzaghinia 73'
  • Taheri 86', 90+2'
 Report
Attendance: 145
Referee: Kim Yu-jeong (South Korea)
United Arab Emirates 13–0 Guam
  • Ndiaye 5'
  • Al-Marzooqi 16'
  • Maqdami 17', 43', 55', 76'
  • Sosu 31'
  • Al-Mansoori 34', 45+2'
  • Yadoo 38'
  • Al-Menhali 44'
  • Al-Maazmi 62'
  • Al-Harasi 88'
 Report
Attendance: 271
Referee: Muath Owfi (Palestine)
Guam 0–6 Iran
Report
Attendance: 70
Referee: Sashanka Madushanka (Sri Lanka)
Hong Kong 0–2 United Arab Emirates
Report
Attendance: 254
Referee: Hussein Abo Yehia (Lebanon)
Hong Kong 1–0 Guam
  • Lee Lok Him 3'
 Report
Attendance: 40
Referee: Kim Yu-jeong (South Korea)
United Arab Emirates 2–3 Iran
  • Al-Kass 45+4'
  • Al-Mansoori 72'
 Report
Attendance: 467
Referee: Zaid Thamer Mohammed (Iraq)

Group J

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  South Korea 3 3 0 0 13 0 +13 9 Final tournament
2  Indonesia (H) 3 1 1 1 5 1 +4 4
3  Laos 3 1 1 1 3 8 −5 4
4  Macau 3 0 0 3 1 13 −12 0
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
South Korea 5–0 Macau
 Report
Attendance: 106
Referee: Lê Thị Ly (Vietnam)
Indonesia 0–0 Laos
Report
Attendance: 5,238
Referee: Mohamed Jafran (Sri Lanka)
Laos 0–7 South Korea
Report
  • Jeong Ji-hoon 44'
  • Lee Kyung-dong 45+4'
  • Cho Sang-hyeok 49', 60', 90+2'
  • Park Seung-ho 69' (pen.)
  • Hwang Do-yoon 70'
Attendance: 249
Referee: Rustam Lutfullin (Uzbekistan)
Macau 0–5 Indonesia
Report
Attendance: 6,364
Laos 3–1 Macau
 Report
  • Lei Man Tek 90' (pen.)
Attendance: 168
Referee: Lê Thị Ly (Vietnam)
South Korea 1–0 Indonesia
 Report
Attendance: 7,126
Referee: Jin Jingyuan (China)

Group K

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Syria 3 3 0 0 7 3 +4 9 Final tournament
2  Philippines 3 2 0 1 6 2 +4 6
3  Tajikistan (H) 3 1 0 2 4 2 +2 3
4    Nepal 3 0 0 3 2 12 −10 0
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Syria 2–1 Philippines
 Report
Attendance: 44
Referee: Yahya Al-Mulla (United Arab Emirates)
Tajikistan 4–0   Nepal
  • Azizboev 39', 58'
  • Rahmatzoda 89'
  • Sharipov 90+1'
 Report
Attendance: 4,822
Referee: Ahmad A'Qashah (Singapore)
Nepal   2–4 Syria
  • Dhami 56'
  • Shrestha 66'
 Report
  • Al-Mustafa 26'
  • Al-Rina 73'
  • Al-Aswad 81'
  • Nayef 90'
Attendance: 200
Referee: Akobirkhuja Shukurullaev (Uzbekistan)
Philippines 1–0 Tajikistan
 Report
Attendance: 5,340
Referee: Harish Kundu (India)
Philippines 4–0   Nepal
 Report
Attendance: 50
Referee: Ahmad A'Qashah (Singapore)
Tajikistan 0–1 Syria
Report
  • Al-Sarakbi 90+8'
Attendance: 6,750
Referee: Koki Nagamine (Japan)

Ranking of second-placed teams

The four best-ranked runners-up also qualified for the final tournament.

Pos Grp Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 D  China 3 2 1 0 12 1 +11 7 Final tournament
2 E  Uzbekistan 3 2 1 0 8 3 +5 7
3 F  Lebanon 3 2 1 0 6 2 +4 7
4 I  United Arab Emirates 3 2 0 1 17 3 +14 6
5 H  India 3 2 0 1 9 2 +7 6
6 A  Turkmenistan 3 2 0 1 8 3 +5 6
7 K  Philippines 3 2 0 1 6 2 +4 6
8 C  Yemen 3 2 0 1 3 2 +1 6
9 G  Cambodia 3 1 2 0 1 0 +1 5
10 J  Indonesia 3 1 1 1 5 1 +4 4
11 B  Kuwait 3 1 1 1 2 6 −4 4
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) goals scored; 4) disciplinary points; 5) drawing of lots.[6]

Goalscorers

There were 271 goals scored in 66 matches, for an average of 4.11 goals per match.

5 goals

4 goals

3 goals

2 goals

1 goal

1 own goal

  • Huang Chun-lin (against Jordan)
  • Huang Cho Fong (against Laos)
  • Leong Lek Han (against Indonesia)

Qualified teams

The following teams qualified for the 2026 AFC U-23 Asian Cup.

Team Qualification method Date of qualification Appearance(s) Previous best performance
Total First Last
 Saudi Arabia Hosts 1 July 2023
7th
2013
2024
 Champions (2022)
 Jordan Group A winners 9 September 2025 Third place (2013)
 Japan Group B winners 9 September 2025 Champions (2016, 2024)
 Vietnam Group C winners 9 September 2025
6th
2016
 Runners-up (2018)
 Australia Group D winners 9 September 2025
7th
2013
 Third place (2020)
 Kyrgyzstan Group E winners 9 September 2025
1st
None
 Debut
 Thailand Group F winners 9 September 2025
6th
2016
2024
 Quarter-finals (2020)
 Iraq Group G winners 9 September 2025
7th
2013
 Champions (2013)
 Qatar Group H winners 9 September 2025
6th
2016
 Third place (2018)
 Iran Group I winners 9 September 2025
5th
2013
2022
 Quarter-finals (2016)
 South Korea Group J winners 9 September 2025
7th
2024
 Champions (2020)
 Syria Group K winners 9 September 2025
5th
2020
 Quarter-finals (2013, 2020)
 China Best runners-up 9 September 2025
6th
2024
 Group stage (2013, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2024)
 Uzbekistan Second-best runners-up 9 September 2025
7th
 Champions (2018)
 Lebanon Third-best runners-up 9 September 2025
1st
None
 Debut
 United Arab Emirates Fourth-best runners-up 9 September 2025
6th
2013
2024
 Quarter-finals (2013, 2016, 2020)
Notes

See also

Notes

  1. ^ The match, originally scheduled for 19:30, was delayed until 21:00 due to heavy rain.

References

  1. ^ "AFC Competitions Calendar (Jul 2025 - Jun 2026)" (PDF). AFC. 14 January 2026.
  2. ^ "Asian Football Calendar (March 2025 – February 2026)". AFC. February 2025.
  3. ^ "马德兴：U23亚洲杯分档敲定，中国队二档身份难避种子强队". Hupu.com. 3 May 2025. Retrieved 4 May 2025.
  4. ^ a b "#AFCU23 draw to set stage for Saudi Arabia 2026 Qualifiers". the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  5. ^ a b "AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026 Competition Regulations" (PDF). AFC. Retrieved 15 May 2025.
  6. ^ "AFC Competition Operations Manual (Edition 2023)" (PDF). Asian Football Confederation.
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