AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026™ match schedule revealed

With just over a year to go until the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026™ kicks off, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) have unveiled the official match schedule of Asia’s premier women’s national team competition. 

Scheduled to take place from March 1 to 21, 2026, the Continental showpiece will see 12 teams in action across three vibrant host cities –  Sydney, Perth and Gold Coast, each featuring spectacular venues, including those used to host matches of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023.

The stunning Perth Stadium will serve as the backdrop for hosts Australia to begin their quest for glory on home soil on March 1, while the iconic Stadium Australia in Sydney, which hosted the unforgettable FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 Final between Spain and England, will provide the setting for the grand finale on March 21, where the Asian champions will be crowned.

Besides hosting the inaugural match, the 60,000-capacity Perth Stadium will also stage one Semi-final on March 17, ensuring fans in the City of Lights have much to look forward to. 

Also in Perth, the Perth Rectangular Stadium, which successfully hosted five matches during the FIFA Women’s World Cup, will feature six Group Stage clashes, whilst also serving as the battleground for two highly-anticipated Quarter-finals on March 13 and 14.

Over at Gold Coast Stadium, four Group Stage encounters are lined up, including the Matildas’ second match on March 5. Moreover, following the excitement of the Group Stage, action at the venue will resume on March 19, as the four losing Quarter-finalists face off in two crucial play-off matches, with the winners qualifying for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Brazil 2027.

Moving on to Sydney, Stadium Australia will take centre stage as it hosts Australia’s third and final Group Stage battle on March 8. The 79,500-capacity stadium, the largest of the five venues, will continue to stage crucial fixtures throughout the competition, including two Quarter-finals on March 14 and 15, a Semi-final on March 18, and the all-important Final on March 21.

Additionally, the Harbour City will also feature six Group Stage matches at the picturesque Western Sydney Stadium, home of the Western Sydney Wanderers, offering fans even more opportunities to witness world-class football in an electric setting.

The match pairings and kick-off times will be confirmed following the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia™ 2026 Final Draw, which is set to take place later this year after the conclusion of the Qualifiers of the tournament that are slated to be conducted from June 23 to July 5.

Eight teams from the Qualifiers will advance to the final competition and join the other four that have already qualified, namely, Australia, China PR, Korea Republic and Japan.

To mark the one-year countdown, the host cities Down Under reveled in festivities as cultural programmes featuring artists from China PR, Japan, and Korea Republic offered fans a taste of Asia’s unique diversity. 

Additionally, a giant football, designed in the form of a puzzle, was unveiled across Kurrawa Terrace in Gold Coast, Scarborough Beach Amphitheatre in Perth, and Hickson Reserve in Sydney. Featuring the qualified quartet, the ball puzzle will be completed by the rest of the cast on July 5 following the conclusion of the Qualifiers. 

Click here for the full AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026™ Match Schedule, and stay connected to the-AFC.com for the latest news and updates as the Continent’s finest women’s national teams prepare to clinch the continental crown.