2026 AFC U-23 Asian Cup

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2026 AFC U-23 Asian Cup
كأس آسيا تحت 23 سنة 2026
Tournament details
Host countrySaudi Arabia
Dates7–25 January
Teams16 (from 1 confederation)
← 2024
2028 →
All statistics correct as of 12 July 2025.

The 2026 AFC U-23 Asian Cup will be the 7th edition of the AFC U-23 Asian Cup (previously the AFC U-23 Championship before rebranding from 2021.[1]), the biennial international age-restricted football championship organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) for the men's under-23 national teams of Asia. The tournament will be held in Saudi Arabia between 7 and 25 January.[2]

Japan are the defending champions.

Host selection

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In July 2023, the AFC Competitions Committee announced that each non-Olympic edition of the tournament would be hosted by the same association hosting the next AFC Asian Cup.[3] So Saudi Arabia will be hosting this edition as well.

Qualification

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Main article: 2026 AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualification
Qualification status
  Teams qualified
  To be decided
  Teams failed to qualify
  Did not enter/Withdrew/Excluded
  Not an AFC member

Qualification matches are scheduled to be played between 3 and 9 September 2025.[2][4]

Qualified teams

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

Team Method of qualification Date of qualification Appearance First appearance Last appearance Previous best performance
 Saudi Arabia Hosts 1 July 2023 7th 2013 2024 Champions (2022)
TBD Group A winners
TBD Group B winners
TBD Group C winners
TBD Group D winners
TBD Group E winners
TBD Group F winners
TBD Group G winners
TBD Group H winners
TBD Group I winners
TBD Group J winners
TBD Group K winners
TBD 1st best runners-up
TBD 2nd best runners-up
TBD 3rd best runners-up
TBD 4th best runners-up

Venues

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To be confirmed.

Group stage

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All times are local, AST (UTC+3).

Group A

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Saudi Arabia (H) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Advance to knockout stage
2 A2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 A3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 A4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: 7 January 2026. Source: AFC
(H) Hosts

Group B

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 B1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Advance to knockout stage
2 B2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 B3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 B4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: 8 January 2026. Source: AFC

Group C

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 C1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Advance to knockout stage
2 C2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 C3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 C4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: 8 January 2026. Source: AFC

Group D

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 D1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Advance to knockout stage
2 D2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 D3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 D4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: 9 January 2026. Source: AFC

Knockout stage

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In the knockout stage, extra time and penalty shoot-out were used to decide the winner if necessary.

Bracket

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Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
 
          
 
 January –
 
 
A1
 
 January –
 
 B2
 
 Winner Quarter-final 1
 
 January –
 
 Winner Quarter-final 2
 
 C1
 
25 January –
 
 D2
 
 Winner Semi-final 1
 
 January –
 
 Winner Semi-final 2
 
 B1
 
 January –
 
 A2
 
 Winner Quarter-final 3
 
 January –
 
 Winner Quarter-final 4Third place play-off
 
 D1
 
24 January –
 
 C2
 
 Loser Semi-final 1
 
 
 Loser Semi-final 2
 

Quarter-finals

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Winner Group AQF1Runner-up Group B
Winner Group BQF2Runner-up Group A
Winner Group DQF3Runner-up Group C
Winner Group CQF4Runner-up Group D

Semi-finals

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Winner Quarter-final 1vWinner Quarter-final 2
Winner Quarter-final 3vWinner Quarter-final 4

Third place play-off

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Loser Semi-final 1vLoser Semi-final 2

Final

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Winner Semi-final 1vWinner Semi-final 2

References

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  1. ^ "AFC rebrands age group championships to AFC Asian Cups". AFC. 2 October 2020.
  2. ^ a b "AFC Competitions Calendar (Jul 2025 - Jun 2026)" (PDF). AFC.
  3. ^ "AFC Competitions Committee approves key decisions on reformatted competitions". Asian Football Confederation. 1 July 2023. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
  4. ^ "Saudi Arabia 2026 Qualifiers groups finalised". Asian Football Confederation. 29 May 2025. Retrieved 29 May 2025.
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