2026 FIFA ASEAN Cup
Inaugural edition of the FIFA ASEAN Cup
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The 2026 FIFA ASEAN Cup is the inaugural edition of the FIFA ASEAN Cup, an international association football competition sanctioned by FIFA for men's national teams of Southeast Asia. The tournament takes place during the FIFA international window from 24 September to 4 October.[1][2]
Hong Kong (Challenge Division)
| Piala ASEAN FIFA 2026 (Indonesian) 2026年國際足協東盟盃 (Chinese) | |
|---|---|
| Tournament details | |
| Host country | Indonesia (Premier Division) Hong Kong (Challenge Division) |
| Dates | 24 September – 4 October |
| Teams | 14 (from 3 sub-confederations) |
2028 → | |
The tournament will use a two-division format, with Indonesia hosting the Premier Division and Hong Kong hosting the Challenge Division.[1][3] The Premier Division champion is reported to receive a prize of US$1 million, with the total prize pool estimated at US$4 million.[4]
Background
FIFA president Gianni Infantino announced the launch of the FIFA ASEAN Cup on 26 October 2025, following the signing of a memorandum of understanding at the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, witnessed by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.[5] The competition was announced unilaterally by FIFA; the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) was reportedly unaware of the plan for a second Southeast Asian men's tournament prior to the announcement.[6]
The AFF has organised the ASEAN Championship, the existing premier football tournament for Southeast Asian men's national teams since 1996. A key distinction between the two competitions is that the FIFA ASEAN Cup is held within official FIFA international windows, meaning clubs are obliged to release their players for the tournament. The ASEAN Championship has historically been played outside those windows, with no such obligation on clubs.[2] The competition follows the model of the FIFA Arab Cup, a FIFA-sanctioned regional tournament for teams in West Asia and North Africa.[6]
On 20 March 2026, the FIFA Council officially approved the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup at an online meeting, scheduling it for September–October 2026, after the 2026 ASEAN Championship.[2][7] The two-division format and host assignments were subsequently reported following the 76th FIFA Congress in Vancouver, Canada, at which FIFA and the AFF signed a further memorandum of agreement confirming the structure.
Host countries
The eight top-division teams are split into two groups and staged in Indonesia.[1][8] Hong Kong is a member of the East Asian Football Federation (EAFF), and participates as the Challenge Division host.[1][9] Matches are expected to be held at Kai Tak Sports Park.[9]
Format
The 2026 FIFA ASEAN Cup adopted a two-division format, held concurrently across two host countries during a single FIFA international window. In each division, teams are split into two groups and play a group stage. The winner of each group advances to a divisional final; No semi-finals are included in the format. Each team is expected to play between two and four matches in total.[10]
Participating teams
A total of 14 to 16 teams were planned for the inaugural edition. All members of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) have a guaranteed slot.[11] China, India and Hong Kong were invited to the competition. However, China, focusing on their preparation for the upcoming AFC Asian Cup, decided not to participate and was replaced by Pakistan.[12][13] India later withdrew due to commitments to play a friendly match with Brazil.[14] Australia is the only AFF member not to enter.
| Premier Division | Challenge Division |
|---|---|
Group stage
The groups were announced on 29 July.[16]
Premier Division
Group A
(H) Hosts
Group B
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Vietnam |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Advance to final |
| 2 |  Pakistan |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 |  Thailand |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 4 |  Philippines |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Challenge Division
Group A
(H) Hosts
Group B
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Cambodia |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Advance to final |
| 2 |  Laos |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 |  Timor-Leste |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Final Ranking Matches
At FIFA’s discretion, to determine the final ranking of each division, an additional match may be played on the final matchday between the runners-up from each group, between the third-placed teams from each group, and between the fourth‑placed teams (for Division 1) from each group.[17]
Premier Division
3rd Place Match
| Group A runner-up | v | Group B runner-up |
|---|---|---|
5th Place Match
| Group A 3rd place | v | Group B 3rd place |
|---|---|---|
7th Place Match
| Group A 4th place | v | Group B 4th place |
|---|---|---|
Challenge Division
3rd Place Match
| Group A runner-up | v | Group B runner-up |
|---|---|---|
5th Place Match
| Group A 3rd place | v | Group B 3rd place |
|---|---|---|
Finals
Premier Division Final
| Group A winner | v | Group B winner |
|---|---|---|
Challenge Division Final
| Group A winner | v | Group B winner |
|---|---|---|
Statistics
Awards
| Best goalkeeper | Best player | Best young player | Top scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
Prize money
The following prize distribution has been reported.[4]
| Result | Prize money |
|---|---|
| Premier Division champion | US$1,000,000 |
| Challenge Division champion | US$300,000 |
| Team participation fee | US$125,000 |
| Total prize pool: ~US$4,000,000 | |