AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers Draw to Take Place on May 29 in Kuala Lumpur

Report by Safarti Tarjuman Sports Desk

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has officially announced that the draw for the AFC U23 Asian Cup™ 2026 Qualifiers will be conducted on Thursday, May 29 at 3:00 PM (local time) at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

A total of 44 national teams will be drawn into 11 groups, setting the stage for the qualification round to be held from September 1 to 9, 2025. These matches will determine the 15 teams that will join hosts Saudi Arabia in the final tournament, which is scheduled for January 2026.

Saudi Arabia, who won the previous edition in 2022, are automatically qualified as hosts. They will be joined by the winners of each qualifying group and the top four second-placed teams based on ranking.

The group stage of the qualifiers will follow a centralized league format. Teams will be seeded into five pots, based on points calculated from their final standings in the last three editions of the U23 Asian Cup.