2026 U-23 Asian Cup Qualification Draw Has Been Completed

According to Bolasport.com, the official draw for the 2026 U-23 Asian Cup Qualification was held on Thursday, May 29, 2025. A total of 44 national teams will compete in the qualification phase, which will determine the final line-up for the tournament in Saudi Arabia.

The draw results divided the teams into 11 groups, with each group containing four teams.

Only 15 Teams Will Advance to the Finals

The qualification format will see only 15 teams securing a place in the finals. These include:

• The 11 group winners

• The four best runners-up across all groups

These teams will join host nation Saudi Arabia, who automatically qualifies for the tournament.

ASEAN Nations Drawn Into Varied Groups

Several Southeast Asian representatives were placed in different groups:

• Myanmar — Group B

• Cambodia — Group G

• Brunei Darussalam — Group H

• Philippines — Group K

Meanwhile, major ASEAN contenders such as Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia were handed favorable groupings, offering a solid chance to qualify for the 2026 finals.

Match Dates Set for September 2025

The qualification matches are scheduled to take place from September 1–9, 2025. Venues for each group will be announced by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in the coming months.