The journey to the AFC U23 Asian Cup™ Saudi Arabia 2026 officially kicks off this Thursday, May 29, as 44 national teams await the outcome of the highly anticipated Qualifiers Draw Ceremony, scheduled for 3:00 PM (local time) at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur.

The draw will determine the composition of 11 qualifying groups, with the group stage fixtures set to take place from September 1 to 9, 2025. At stake are 15 coveted spots at the seventh edition of Asia’s premier youth tournament, which will be hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the very first time in January 2026.

As reigning champions and tournament hosts, Saudi Arabia have earned an automatic berth and will be joined by:

• The 11 group winners from the upcoming qualifiers

• The four best second-placed teams across all groups

Centralised Format and Seeding

Each group will play in a centralised league format, with matches held at pre-selected host countries. To ensure fair competition and geographic balance, the AFC will draw hosts into separate groups from a designated Hosts Pot before proceeding with the main draw.

The seeding of teams into five pots is based on a weighted ranking system, taking into account performances from the past three editions of the U23 Asian Cup Finals:

• 2024 edition: 100% of ranking points

• 2022 edition: 50%

• 2020 edition: 25%

This approach ensures current form plays a leading role, while still acknowledging past tournament pedigree.

Pot Allocations Breakdown

Pot 1 – Asia’s U23 heavyweights lead the top tier:

• Uzbekistan (1), Japan (2), Iraq (3), Korea Republic (5), Australia (7)

Pot 2 – Strong regional challengers:

• Kuwait (14), Iran (15), Turkmenistan (16), Malaysia (17), Bahrain (19), Palestine (20), Syria (21), Yemen (22)

Pot 3 – Developing footballing nations:

• Oman (25), Singapore (26), India (28), Lebanon (29), Laos (30), Timor-Leste (31), Chinese Taipei (32), Philippines (33), Hong Kong, China (34)

Pot 4 – Emerging teams looking to make their mark:

• Afghanistan (35), Bangladesh (36), Mongolia (37), Guam (39), Pakistan (41), Macau (42), Nepal (43), Brunei Darussalam (44), Sri Lanka (45), Bhutan (46), Northern Mariana Islands (47)

Hosts Pot – Pre-selected centralised hosts, seeded according to rankings:

• Vietnam (6), Qatar (8), Thailand (9), Jordan (10), Tajikistan (11), UAE (12), Indonesia (13), China PR (18), Cambodia (23), Myanmar (24), Kyrgyz Republic (27)

A New Era for U23 Football in Asia

The 2026 edition marks a significant chapter in AFC U23 history, not only due to its debut in Saudi Arabia but also due to its expanded scope and increasing competitiveness. With former champions, rising powers, and underdog nations all eyeing qualification, the draw promises to set the tone for one of the most unpredictable and compelling qualification campaigns in recent memory.

Fans and national teams alike can follow the draw live on Thursday, with the ceremony being broadcast online by the AFC.