Peshawar : August 29, 2025,(AFC News): The cast of the AFC U23 Asian Cup™ Saudi Arabia 2026 Qualifiers will have their sights firmly set on reaching the seventh edition of the tournament when kick-off takes place on September 3 (Wednesday).
A rare set to compete in the upcoming edition of the Qualifiers and they have been divided into 11 groups, each to be contested in a single round-robin format in centralised venues. At stake are 15 places in the Finals, to be filled by the 11 group winners and four best runners-up overall, with first-time hosts Saudi Arabia completing the final line-up.

Bhutan and Northern Mariana Islands will make their Qualifiers debuts, while 18 other teams—Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Chinese Taipei, Guam, Hong Kong, China, India, Kyrgyz Republic, Laos, Lebanon, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Timor-Leste—are also aiming to qualify for the first time. Meanwhile, six sides—Australia, Iraq, Japan, Jordan, Korea Republic and Uzbekistan—will look to maintain their perfect record of appearing at every Finals.

The first matchday takes place in Group D at the Xi’an Sports Training Center Pitch 1, where Australia, third-place finishers in 2020, face Northern Mariana Islands at 3.30pm. At 7.35pm at the Xi’an International Football Center, China PR, aiming for a sixth Finals appearance, take on Timor-Leste, who have participated in six previous Qualifiers.

In Group J, 2020 champions Korea Republic, look to extend their unbeaten Qualifiers streak (Played: 19, Won: 16) against Macau, aiming for their first point in their sixth campaign, at 3.30pm at the Gelora Delta Sidoarjo Stadium. At 7.30pm, hosts Indonesia, fourth-place finishers on their debut in 2024, take on Laos, who are in their seventh qualifying campaign.

Group C’s action occurs at the Viet Tri Stadium, where Yemen, aiming for a third Finals appearance and first since 2016, start their sixth qualifying campaign against Singapore—participating in a seventh Qualifiers—at 4pm. At 7pm, 2018 runners-up Vietnam face Bangladesh, with both involved in a seventh Qualifiers.

Thammasat Stadium is the backdrop for Group F, with the opening 4pm showdown featuring 2018 quarter-finalists Malaysia—eyeing a fourth Finals—and Lebanon, with both contesting a seventh Qualifiers. At 7.30pm, two sides in their sixth qualifying campaign go head-to-head: hosts Thailand—who reached the last eight in 2020 and have five Finals appearances—and Mongolia.

Group G gets underway at the National Sports Complex of Cambodia in Phnom Penh, where Iraq, unbeaten in qualifying (P: 20, W: 15) to date and champions in 2013, face Pakistan at 4pm, with the latter in their fourth Qualifiers. At 7pm, hosts Cambodia—in their seventh Qualifiers—meet Oman, who last qualified in 2018 and are aiming for a third Finals appearance at their sixth Qualifiers.

In Group B, the Thuwunna Stadium in Yangon finds Kuwait taking on Myanmar at 4pm. Competing in the Qualifiers for a seventh and sixth occasion respectively, Kuwait are aiming for a fourth Finals appearance with Myanmar targeting a second after their 2013 debut. At 7pm, record two-time champions Japan begin their campaign against Afghanistan, who are at their fifth Qualifiers.

Group E’s fixtures will unfold at the Dolen Omurzakov Stadium in Bishkek, starting at 4pm with 2018 champions Uzbekistan facing Sri Lanka, this being their sixth and fifth qualifying campaigns respectively. The evening match at 8pm involves two teams in their seventh Qualifiers: Palestine, quarter-finalists on their debut in 2018, take on home side Kyrgyz Republic.

Syria and the Philippines, both taking part in their seventh Qualifiers, clash in Group K’s opener at the Republican Central Stadium in Dushanbe at 6pm, with the former seeking a fifth Finals appearance. At 9pm, Tajikistan’s seventh qualifying campaign begins on home soil as they target a third Finals, with opponents Nepal playing in their sixth Qualifiers.

Group I will be staged at the Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi, starting at 6.30pm with Islamic Republic of Iran—hunting a fifth Finals berth—facing Hong Kong, China as both contest their seventh Qualifiers. Also in their seventh qualifying campaign, the United Arab Emirates are looking for a sixth Finals involvement and meet Guam, in only their second Qualifiers and seeking their first win, at 9.30pm.

The Amman International Stadium in Amman is the venue for Group A, where proceedings commence with Turkmenistan, who reached the last eight on their debut in 2022, facing Chinese Taipei at 5pm. Later at 7pm, Jordan—third-place finishers in 2013—welcome newcomers Bhutan at the King Abdullah II Stadium. This will be the seventh Qualifiers campaign for Chinese Taipei and Jordan, and the sixth for Turkmenistan.

Finally, Group H’s quartet enter the fray in Doha, first at the Suheim Bin Hamad Stadium where Bahrain and India, both in their seventh qualifying campaign, square off at 6.15pm with the former hoping to add to their sole Finals showing in 2020. Over at the Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium, Qatar and Brunei Darussalam—both in their fifth Qualifiers—clash at 8pm, with the home team chasing a sixth Finals while the latter target a first ever point.