2026 ASEAN Championship
16th edition of the ASEAN Championship
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The 2026 ASEAN Championship (officially the ASEAN Hyundai Cup 2026[1] for sponsorship reasons), or simply ASEAN Cup 2026, is the 16th edition of the ASEAN Championship, the biennal international men's football championship of Southeast Asia organised by the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) and is the 1st edition under the name ASEAN Hyundai Cup. The tournament is celebrated as the 30th anniversary of the competition.[2]
 | |
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Dates | 24 July – 26 August |
| Teams | 10 (from 1 sub-confederation) |
| Venues | 10 (in 10 host cities) |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 20 |
| Goals scored | 70 (3.5 per match) |
| Attendance | 234,144 (11,707 per match) |
| Top scorer |  Nguyễn Đình Bắc (5 goals) |
← 2024 2028 → | |
The event is held in the summer season from July to August for the first time, instead of the traditional monsoon season near the year-end.[3][4]
Vietnam is the defending champion after winning the 2024 final against Thailand.
It precedes the inaugural 2026 FIFA ASEAN Cup, first announced by FIFA in October 2025.[4]
Format
The 2026 ASEAN Championship will follow the current 2018 format. In the current format, the nine highest ranked teams automatically qualified, with the 10th and 11th ranked teams playing in a two-legged qualifier. The 10 teams will be split in two groups of five and play a round-robin system, with each team playing two home and two away fixtures. The top two sides of each group will advance to the knockout stages, consisting of two-legged semi-finals and finals.[5] Like the 2024 edition, away goals rule will not be applied. This is the first edition where the whole tournament will use VAR.
New rules
The 2026 ASEAN Championship introduced several rule changes just like the 2026 FIFA World Cup, primarily designed to reduce time-wasting.[6][7]
The new rules included:
- 10-second substitutions: Players being substituted had ten seconds to exit the field; otherwise, the substitute had to wait for one minute before entering the match.
- 5-second restarts: A visual 5-second countdown was shown by the referee for throw-ins and goal kicks in situations of time-wasting. If the ball was not put into play in time, a restart was awarded to the opposing team; a corner kick was awarded if the infraction occurred with a goal kick.
- Medical treatment: Any outfield player who received medical attention on the field had to leave the field and wait for 1 minute before returning to play.
- Expanded video assistant referee (VAR): The VAR could review and overturn wrongly awarded corner kicks, certain attacking fouls, and clear mistakes on red cards given from a second yellow card.
- Mouth-covering red cards: To stop confrontational or insulting behavior which was concealed to avoid lip-reading, any player who covered his mouth with his hand, arm, or shirt while confronting an opponent was sent off.
- Player leaving the field in protest: Players or officials who left the field in protest were sent off.[6]
Another change was the tiebreaker formula used when two or more teams finish the group stage with an equal number of points. The first tiebreaker criteria was the number of points earned in head-to-head matches between the tied teams, not the goal difference among all matches.[A]
Qualification
Nine teams automatically qualified to the ASEAN Championship final tournament. They were separated in respective pots, based on their performance in the last two editions.
Brunei and East Timor, the two lowest-ranked teams, played a two-legged qualifier to determine the 10th and final qualifier. On 9 June 2026, East Timor beat Brunei by 6–1 on aggregate to become the last participant.
Australia, a member since 2013, did not enter the tournament.
Qualified teams
| Team | Appearance | Previous best performance | FIFA Ranking (20 July 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
 Cambodia |
11th | Group stage (1996, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2008, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022, 2024) | 175 |
 Indonesia |
16th | Runners-up (2000, 2002, 2004, 2010, 2016, 2020) | 118 |
 Laos |
15th | Group stage (1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2020, 2022, 2024) | 185 |
 Malaysia |
16th | Winners (2010) | 136 |
 Myanmar |
16th | Fourth place / Semi-finalists (2004, 2016) | 158 |
 Philippines |
15th | Semi-finalists (2010, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2024) | 135 |
 Singapore |
16th | Winners (1998, 2004, 2007, 2012) | 148 |
 Thailand |
16th | Winners (1996, 2000, 2002, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2022) | 94 |
| Vietnam |
16th | Winners (2008, 2018, 2024) | 99 |
 Timor-Leste |
5th | Group stage (2004, 2018, 2020, 2024) | 201 |
Draw
The tournament's draw was held on 15 January 2026 at RCTI studio in Jakarta, Indonesia at 16:00 UTC+7 (WIB).[11][12][13]
The pot placements followed each team's progress based on the two previous editions. If the results are equal, the most recent tournament will be given priority.
Vietnam, the defending champions, were automatically placed in A1, while Thailand were placed in B1. Due to political tensions between Thailand and Cambodia, Cambodia was automatically drawn to Group A and Myanmar to Group B.
At the time of the draw, the identity of the team that secured qualification was unknown and was automatically placed into Pot 5.
Squads
Schedule
AFF announced the tournament schedule on 14 November 2025.[2]
The group stage will start from 24 July to 8 August. The knockout stage will take place from 15 to 26 August.[2]
| Group stage | Schedule Matchday |
Group A | Group B | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Matches | Date | Matches | ||
| Matchday 1 | 24 July 2026 | 4 v 2 5 v 1 |
25 July 2026 | 4 v 2 5 v 1 | |
| Matchday 2 | 27 July 2026 | 2 v 5 3 v 4 |
28 July 2026 | 2 v 5 3 v 4 | |
| Matchday 3 | 31 July 2026 | 5 v 3 1 v 2 |
1 August 2026 | 5 v 3 1 v 2 | |
| Matchday 4 | 3 August 2026 | 3 v 1 4 v 5 |
4 August 2026 | 3 v 1 4 v 5 | |
| Matchday 5 | 7 August 2026 | 1 v 4 2 v 3 |
8 August 2026 | 1 v 4 2 v 3 | |
| Knockout stage | Semi-finals | ||||
Schedule Leg(s) |
Date | Matches | Date | Matches | |
| First leg | 15 August 2026 | A2 v B1 | 16 August 2026 | B2 v A1 | |
| Second leg | 18 August 2026 | B1 v A2 | 19 August 2026 | A1 v B2 | |
| Finals | |||||
Schedule Leg(s) |
Date | Matches | |||
| First leg | 22 August 2026 | SF Winner 1 v SF Winner 2 | |||
| Second leg | 26 August 2026 | SF Winner 2 v SF Winner 1 | |||
Officiating
List of officials
The following officials were chosen for the competition.
Referees
Tim Danaskos
Jin Jingyuan
Mario Cheung Wai Lung
Hiroki Kasahara- Koji Takasaki
- Yusuke Ohashi
Alimardon Bainazarov
Abdullah Salim Khalfan Al-Amouri
Zakaria Ismail
Salman Falahi
Mohammed Sami Al-Ismail
Choi Hyun-jai- Kim Hee-gon
- Kim Woo-sung
Assistant referees
- Andrew Meimarakis
- Brad Wright
- Tang Chao
- Lam Cheuk Hong
Bangbang Syamsudar- Fajar Furqon
- Nurhadi Sulchan
- Masaru Hasegawa
- Takeshi Asada
- Tomoyuki Umeda
- Yusuke Takebe
- İsmailjan Talipjanov
- Nasser Salim Abdullah Ambusaidi
- Kesava Raj
- Muhammad Farhan
- Muhammad Shafiq bin Ahmad Said
- Zainal Abidin
- Zahy Snaid Al Shammari
- Hesham Mohammed Abdullah Al Refaei
Abdul Hannan- Huang Xin Jie
- Muhammad Syafiq bin Juffri
- Cheon Jin-hee
- Jang Jong-pil
- Park Sang-jun
Apichit Nophuan- Pattarapong Kijsathit
Nguyễn Trung Việt
Fourth officials
- Naufal Adya Fairuski
- Izzul Fikri Kamaruzaman
- Mohammad Nawal
- Zakaria Ismail
- Tuan Mohd Yaasin bin Tuan Mohd Hanafiah
- Ahmad A'Qashah
- Muhammad Zulfiqar
- Alongkorn Khonwai
- Wiwat Jumpao-on
- Hoàng Ngọc Hà
- Lê Vũ Linh
- Nguyễn Mạnh Hải
Video assistant officials
- Muhammad Taqi
- Farhad Mohamed
- Sivakorn Pu-udom
- Pansa Chaisanit
Venues
As the tournament was held outside the FIFA international match calendar, both Malaysia and Singapore were unable to use their usual home venues.
Malaysia hosted its home matches at Kuala Lumpur Stadium because Bukit Jalil National Stadium was unavailable due to restrictions associated with the Zeon Zoysia pitch sponsorship and usage agreement. Under the agreement, the stadium could only be used for FIFA international windows and designated domestic cup matches to preserve the quality of the playing surface. In addition, Bukit Jalil National Stadium was closed for extensive track and facility upgrade works in preparation for the upcoming 2027 SEA Games, rendering it unavailable for the duration of the campaign.
Meanwhile, Singapore played its home fixtures at Jalan Besar Stadium because the National Stadium was being used for rehearsals and preparations for the country's National Day celebrations.
| Phnom Penh |
Bangkok |
Yangon |
|---|---|---|
| Morodok Techo National Stadium | Rajamangala Stadium | Thuwunna Stadium |
| Capacity: 60,000 | Capacity: 51,560 | Capacity: 50,000 |
 |
 |
 |
| Hanoi |
Location of stadiums of the 2026 ASEAN Championship. |
Bogor |
| Mỹ Đình National Stadium | Pakansari Stadium[a] | |
| Capacity: 40,192 | Capacity: 30,000 | |
 |
 | |
| Vientiane |
Capas | |
| New Laos National Stadium | New Clark City Athletics Stadium[b] | |
| Capacity: 20,000 | Capacity: 20,000 | |
 |
.jpg) | |
| Kuala Lumpur |
Chonburi |
Kallang |
| Kuala Lumpur Stadium[c] | Chonburi Stadium[d] | Jalan Besar Stadium[e] |
| Capacity: 18,000 | Capacity: 8,680 | Capacity: 6,500 |
 |
 |
 |
- Notes
- Indonesia will play their group stage games in Bogor, before moving to Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta if they had qualified for the knockouts.[14]
- Philippines will play their home games at the New Clark City Athletics Stadium, as the Rizal Memorial Stadium – Philippines's regular home stadium – is undergoing renovation.
- Malaysia will play their home games at the Kuala Lumpur Stadium, as the Bukit Jalil National Stadium – Malaysia's regular home stadium – cannot be used for tournaments held outside the FIFA International Match Calendar due to restrictions on the Zeon Zoysia playing surface, and is also undergoing renovation works ahead of the 2027 SEA Games.
- Timor-Leste's home stadium, the National Stadium in Dili, currently does not meet FIFA standards. They are expected to play their home games in a neutral venue.
- Singapore will play their home games at the Jalan Besar Stadium, as the National Stadium – Singapore's regular home stadium – is reserved for the National Day Parade on 9 August.
Group stage
| Tie-breaking criteria for group stage ranking |
|---|
The ranking of teams in each group is determined by the points obtained in all group matches. If two or more teams are equal on points, the following criteria are used to determine the ranking:
If, after having applied criteria a to c, teams still had an equal ranking, criteria a to c are reapplied exclusively to the matches between the teams who are still level to determine their final rankings. If this procedure does not lead to a decision, criteria d to h apply.
|
Group winners and runners-up will advance to the semi-finals.
All times listed are local.
Group A
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vietnam |
4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 1 | +12 | 10 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 | Singapore |
4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 2 | +3 | 8 | |
| 3 | Indonesia |
4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 5 | +4 | 7 | |
| 4 | Cambodia |
4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 10 | −4 | 3 | |
| 5 | Timor-Leste |
4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 15 | −15 | 0 |
| Timor-Leste | 0–7 | Vietnam |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
|
| Singapore | 2–0 | Timor-Leste |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
| Cambodia | 3–0 | Timor-Leste |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
| Indonesia | 0–3 | Vietnam |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
|
Group B
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thailand |
4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | +10 | 12 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 | Malaysia |
4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 3 | +4 | 9 | |
| 3 | Myanmar |
4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 7 | +5 | 6 | |
| 4 | Philippines |
4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 7 | −2 | 3 | |
| 5 | Laos |
4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 20 | −17 | 0 |
| Myanmar | 1–2 | Malaysia |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
|
| Philippines | 1–4 | Myanmar |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
|
| Malaysia | 4–0 | Laos |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
| Myanmar | 7–2 | Laos |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
|
Knockout stage
In the knockout stage, if a match is level at the end of normal playing time (in the second leg), extra time is played (two periods of 15 minutes each). If the scores are still tied, the match is decided by a penalty shoot-out.
As with every tournament since the 2007 AFF Championship, there is no third place play-off.
All times listed are local
Bracket
Semi-finals
Summary
Matches
Final
Summary
Matches
First leg
Second leg
Statistics
Goalscorers
There have been 70 goals scored in 20 matches, for an average of 3.5 goals per match (as of 8 August 2026).[21]
5 goals
4 goals
3 goals
2 goals
1 goal
Iago Bento- Mon Rado
- Ouk Sovann
- Thom Haye
- Ragnar Oratmangoen
- Shayne Pattynama
- Jens Raven
- Sandy Walsh
Bounchay Chernvanglien- Damoth Thongkhamsavath
- Phoutthavong Sangvilay
- Endrick
- Pavithran Gunalan
- Wan Kuzain
Hein Htet Aung- Kyaw Min Oo
- Lwin Moe Aung
- Maung Maung Lwin
- Myat Kaung Khant
John Lucero- Daisuke Sato
- Shawal Anuar
- Song Ui-young
- Jehhanafee Mamah
- Sarach Yooyen
- Waris Choolthong
- Worachit Kanitsribampen
- Nguyễn Hai Long
- Nguyễn Quang Hải
- Nguyễn Văn Vĩ
1 own goal
- Im Vakhim (against Vietnam)
- Nadeo Argawinata (against Cambodia)
2 own goals
- Viengxay Sydavong (against Malaysia and Philippines)
Discipline
A player or team official was automatically suspended for the next match of the tournament for the following offenses:
- Receiving a red card (red card suspensions could be extended for serious offenses).
- Receiving two yellow cards in the tournament.[B]
The following suspensions were accumulated during the tournament:
| Player | Offense(s) | Suspension(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Phetdavanh Somsanith |
 in Group B vs Thailand (25 July) |
Group B vs Malaysia (28 July) |
| Eric Silva |
 in Group A vs Vietnam (24 July) in Group A vs Singapore (27 July) |
Group A vs Indonesia (31 July) |
| Yudai Ogawa |
in Group A vs Singapore (24 July) in Group A vs Indonesia (27 July) |
Group A vs Timor-Leste (3 August) |
| Jackson Pereira |
 in Group A vs Indonesia (31 July) |
Group A vs Cambodia (3 August) |
| Kyoga Nakamura |
in Group A vs Timor-Leste (27 July) in Group A vs Vietnam (31 July) |
Group A vs Indonesia (7 August) |
| Phetdavanh Somsanith |
in Group B vs Philippines (1 August) |
Group B vs Myanmar (4 August) |
| Kaharn Phetsivilay |
in Group B vs Thailand (25 July) in Group B vs Myanmar (4 August) |
Suspension served outside the tournament |
| Maung Maung Lwin |
in Group B vs Laos (4 August) |
Group B vs Thailand (8 August) |
| Sayfon Keohanam |
in Group B vs Myanmar (4 August) |
Suspension served outside the tournament |
| Song Ui-young |
in Group A vs Timor-Leste (27 July) in Group A vs Indonesia (7 August) |
Semi-finals 1st leg vs Thailand (15 August) |
| Ivar Jenner |
in Group A vs Vietnam (3 August) in Group A vs Singapore (7 August) |
Suspension served outside the tournament |
Marketing
Media coverage
For the first time, Malaysia failed to secure domestic broadcasting rights for both the national team's matches and the rest of the tournament for this campaign due Malaysian football naturalisation scandal and football match boycotts. As a result, Malaysian supporters had no option but to watch the matches via YouTube livestreams or attend the games in person at the stadium.[24] However, Astro Arena will broadcast the upcoming first leg semi-final match between Malaysia and Vietnam.[25]
| 2026 ASEAN Championship television broadcasters in Southeast Asia[26] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Country | Broadcasting networks | Television | Radio | Live streaming |
 Brunei |
Bayon Television, RTB | RTB Aneka | N/a | Platforms: RTBGo
YouTube: ASEAN United FC Facebook: BTV Sports |
| Cambodia |
Bayon Television | BTV Cambodia | N/a | Facebook: BTV Sports
Instagram: BTV Sports |
| Indonesia |
MNC Media | RCTI, GTV, iNews, Sportstars, Zona Juara | MNC Trijaya FM[27] | Platform: Vision+
YouTube: RCTI Sports, iNews Premium Sports, Zona Juara Sports, yb[note 1] |
| Laos |
Bayon Television | N/a | YouTube: ASEAN United FC
Facebook: BTV Sports | |
| Malaysia |
Astro Arena | Astro Arena Bola | Astro Go, Sooka | |
| Myanmar |
Sky Net | Sports 3 | N/a | YouTube: ASEAN United FC
Facebook: BTV Sports |
| Philippines |
Cignal | One Sports, One Sports+ | N/a | Platform: Pilipinas Live
Facebook: Philippine Football Federation |
| Singapore |
Mediacorp[29] | CH5 | N/a | meWATCH |
| Thailand |
TrueVisions[30] | True Sports 2, True Premier Football Channel | N/a | True Visions Now |
| Timor-Leste |
Bayon Television | N/a | YouTube: ASEAN United FC
Facebook: BTV Sports | |
| Vietnam |
FPT Play,[31] Viettel,[32] VTV[33][34] | VTV6, VTV7, VTV10 | N/a | Platform: FPT Play[note 2], VTVgo, TV360, VNPT, MyTV, SCTV, VTVcab
YouTube: FPT Bóng Đá Việt, FPT Bóng Đá, Giấc Mơ Vô Địch |
| 2026 ASEAN Championship international television broadcasters[35] | ||||
 China |
Quijing | N/a | Douyin | |
 South Korea |
Eclat Media | SPOTV[36] | N/a | SPOTV Now |
 France,  Germany,  United Kingdom,  United States |
OneFootball | N/a | OneFootball | |
| Rest of the world | YouTube, OneFootball | N/a | ASEAN United FC, OneFootball | |
