The latest season of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup is all set to take place in 2026, which will be the 21st edition since its establishment. It will be the final stage for the teams looking forward to securing their place in the much-awaited 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, which will take place in Brazil.
In the latest season, a total of 12 teams will take part and will be further divided into three groups for the competition. Out of the 12 teams, the top six teams that remained unbeaten and won the most matches will advance to the 10th Edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
China is the defending champion; they defeated South Korea in the thrilling finals and claimed their 9th title of the competition. They are the most prominent teams in the competition; Chinese Taipei and North Korea are standing in the second position with three titles each.
AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026
The opening ceremony and opening game of the 2026 AFC Women’s Asia Cup will take place on 1st March 2026. On the other hand, the event that every football fan is eagerly waiting for, the final match, will take place on 21st March, 2025, and it will take place at Sydney Stadium, Australia.
AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026: Who’s In?
The host of the 21st AFC Women’s Asia Cup, Australia, gets direct qualification as a host. Whereas China, the previous season’s champions, South Korea, and Japan qualify as they are the top three teams of the previous edition of the Women’s Asia Cup.
Also Read: What Will It Take for India to Qualify for Women’s FIFA World Cup 2027?
On the other hand, the remaining eight teams will qualify as the table toppers of every group and secure a place in the 2026 AFC Women’s Asia Cup. As of now, eleven teams have already been revealed by the administrators, and only the Group A winners are yet to be revealed. Most likely, it will be announced on 19th July 2025.
Full List of Qualified Nations:
| Nation | FIFA Ranking | Last Appearance | Method of Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | 17 | 2022 | 2022 Champions |
| South Korea | 21 | 2022 | 2022 Runners-up |
| Japan | 7 | 2022 | 2022 third-place |
| Bangladesh | 128 | Debut | Group C Winners |
| Phillipines | 41 | 2022 | Group G Winners |
| Vietnam | 37 | 2022 | Group E Winners |
| India | 70 | 2022 | Group B Winners |
| Chinese Taipei | 42 | 2022 | Group D Winners |
| North Korea | 9 | 2010 | Group H Winners |
| Uzbekistan | 51 | 2003 | Group F Winners |
| TBD | NA | NA | Group A Winners |
Host Nation and Venue of the Upcoming AFC Women’s Asia Cup 2026:
Four nations bid for the 2026 AFC Women’s Asia Cup hosting: Jordan, Australia, Uzbekistan, and Saudi Arabia. Australia officially announced as the host of the 21st AFC Women’s Asia Cup, they hosted the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup along with New Zealand.
The complete event of the upcoming AFC Women’s Asia Cup 2026 will take place across five different venues in Australia. There are three cities that will host the complete event: Sydney, Gold Coast, and Perth.
| Venue | City |
|---|---|
| Perth Rectangular Stadium | Western Australia |
| Perth Stadium | Western Australia |
| Gold Coast Stadium | Queensland |
| Stadium Australia | Sydney, New South Wales |
| Western Sydney Stadium | Sydney, New South Wales |