AIPS ASIA News:

The quest to reach the AFC Women’s Futsal Asian Cup™ China 2025 kicks off this Saturday, January 11 when the Qualifiers get underway.

Nine berths at the third edition of the Continent’s premier women’s futsal national team tournament are on offer for the 18-strong cast, who have been split into four groups – two groups of five teams and two groups of four.

The top two finishers of each group, together with the overall best-ranked third-placed team, will progress to the Finals and join hosts China PR and 2018’s top two, Islamic Republic of Iran and Japan, to continue their quest for glory in May 2025. Seven sides – Australia, India, Iraq, Kyrgyz Republic, Myanmar, Palestine, and the Philippines – will aim to make their debuts.

This is the first time that a qualifying campaign is being held for the AFC Women’s Futsal Asian Cup™, which saw IR Iran emerge as champions in both prior editions in 2015 and 2018.

The top three finishers at China 2025 will also seal their berths at the inaugural FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup 2025, to be hosted by the Philippines – who have automatically qualified.

Bahrain (FIFA Rank: 36) and Lebanon (29) will face off in the first match of the Qualifiers as they clash at the Nonthaburi Stadium at 4.30pm. The West Asian duo both made their tournament debuts in 2018 and will aim to reach the Finals for a second consecutive edition. The second Group A tie of the day takes place at 7.30pm as reigning West Asian Football Federation (WAFF) Women’s Futsal Championship winners Iraq (53) take on Palestine (34); group hosts Thailand (6) – the highest-ranked team in Asia and champions of all five Southeast Asian Games to date – begin their qualifying campaign on January 13 against Palestine at 7.30pm.

Group C also kicks off on January 11 with Australia (unranked) squaring off against Turkmenistan (38) at the Yunusobod Sports Complex in Tashkent as the latter eye a second qualification after their 2018 debut. That 3pm kick-off will be followed by a clash at 6pm between Kuwait (61) and the Philippines (59). Hosts Uzbekistan (18) swing into action on January 13 and the 2018 quarter-finalists will hope to get their bid for a third qualification off to a good start against the Philippines at 3pm.

Down to four teams following Pakistan’s withdrawal, Group B gets underway at 1pm on January 15 at the Among Rogo Sports Hall in Yogyakarta as Hong Kong, China (31) begin their journey to a third qualification against India (unranked). Quarter-finalists on their debut in 2018, hosts Indonesia (24) then welcome the Kyrgyz Republic (69) at 4pm.

Also on January 15, Group D will open with a thriller at Yangon’s MFF Futsal Indoor Stadium at 2pm between Chinese Taipei (25), who reached the last four on their debut in 2018, and Macau (45), who also made their maiden appearance at the last edition. Fresh off their triumph at the inaugural ASEAN Women’s Futsal Championship in November 2024, Vietnam (11) are aiming to return to the Finals for a third time and build on their fourth-placed finish from 2018, with home side Myanmar (37) serving as their first qualifying hurdle at 5 pm.

Courtesy AFC