2027 AFC U-20 Asian Cup qualification
International football competition
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 2027 AFC U-20 Asian Cup qualification is an upcoming international men's under-20 football competition organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). The tournament is scheduled to be held from 31 August to 6 September 2026 to determine the participating teams for the 2027 AFC U-20 Asian Cup.[1]
Host countries
Kyrgyzstan (Group A)
Uzbekistan (Group B)
Vietnam (Group C)
Bahrain (Group D)
Qatar (Group E)
Thailand (Group F)
Cambodia (Group G)
Laos (Group H)
Mongolia (Group I)
Bhutan (Group J)
Myanmar (Group K)
Kyrgyzstan (Group A)
Uzbekistan (Group B)
Vietnam (Group C)
Bahrain (Group D)
Qatar (Group E)
Thailand (Group F)
Cambodia (Group G)
Laos (Group H)
Mongolia (Group I)
Bhutan (Group J)
Myanmar (Group K)Dates31 August – 6 September 2026[1]
Teams44 (from 1 confederation)
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Host countries | Kyrgyzstan (Group A) Uzbekistan (Group B) Vietnam (Group C) Bahrain (Group D) Qatar (Group E) Thailand (Group F) Cambodia (Group G) Laos (Group H) Mongolia (Group I) Bhutan (Group J) Myanmar (Group K) |
| Dates | 31 August – 6 September 2026[1] |
| Teams | 44 (from 1 confederation) |
← 2025 2029 → | |
Format
In January 2026, the AFC introduced a new two-phase format for the AFC U-20 Asian Cup qualifiers, featuring a Qualification Phase and a Development Phase with promotion and relegation. Teams were allocated into each phase based on a ranking derived from the results of the three most recent editions of the tournament (2018, 2023 and 2025). In each phase, teams are drawn into groups to play a single round-robin format at centralised venues:[2][3]
- Qualification Phase: Thirty-two teams are divided into eight groups of four. The winners of each group, and the seven best runners-up, qualify for the final tournament. The six lowest ranked fourth-placed teams across all groups are relegated to the Development Phase for the subsequent edition of the qualifiers.
- Development Phase: Twelve teams are divided into three groups of four. The top two teams in each group are promoted to the Qualification Phase for the subsequent edition of the qualifiers.
Draw
The draw took place on 28 May 2026 at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.[3]
Teams are seeded based on the results of the three most recent editions of the tournament (2018, 2023 and 2025). The teams hosting the qualification groups are also allocated to an additional "Hosts Pot", to ensure they are drawn into different groups. Final tournament hosts China will not participate in the qualifiers.[3]
| Pot 1 | Pot 2 | Pot 3 | Pot 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
- Notes
- (H): Qualification group hosts
- (W): Withdrew after the draw
Schedule
| Round | Date |
|---|---|
| Matchday 1 | 31 August 2026 |
| Matchday 2 | 3 September 2026 |
| Matchday 3 | 6 September 2026 |
Qualification phase
The eight group winners and the seven best runners-up qualify for the final tournament.
| Tiebreakers |
|---|
Teams were ranked according to points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss), and if tied on points, the following tiebreaking criteria are applied, in the order given, to determine the rankings:[4]
|
Group A
- All matches were held in Kyrgyzstan.
- Times listed are UTC+6.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  South Korea |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Qualified for the final tournament |
| 2 | Kyrgyzstan (H) |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Possible qualification for the final tournament based on rankings |
| 3 |  Lebanon |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 4 |  Philippines |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Withdrew |
First match(es) will be played: 31 August 2026. Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Group B
- All matches were held in Uzbekistan.
- Times listed are UTC+5.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Uzbekistan (H) |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Qualified for the final tournament |
| 2 |  Syria |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Possible qualification for the final tournament based on rankings |
| 3 |  India |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 4 |  Bangladesh |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Possible relegation to Development phase based on rankings |
First match(es) will be played: 31 August 2026. Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Do'stlik Stadium, Tashkent
Do'stlik Stadium, Tashkent
Do'stlik Stadium, Tashkent
Do'stlik Stadium, Tashkent
Do'stlik Stadium, Tashkent
Group C
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Iran |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Qualified for the final tournament |
| 2 | Vietnam (H) |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Possible qualification for the final tournament based on rankings |
| 3 |  North Korea |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 4 |  Palestine |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Possible relegation to Development phase based on rankings |
First match(es) will be played: 31 August 2026. Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Group D
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Jordan |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Qualified for the final tournament |
| 2 |  Tajikistan |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Possible qualification for the final tournament based on rankings |
| 3 | Bahrain (H) |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 4 |  Afghanistan |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Possible relegation to Development phase based on rankings |
First match(es) will be played: 31 August 2026. Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Group E
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Saudi Arabia |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Qualified for the final tournament |
| 2 | Qatar (H) |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Possible qualification for the final tournament based on rankings |
| 3 |  Oman |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 4 |  Hong Kong |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Possible relegation to Development phase based on rankings |
First match(es) will be played: 31 August 2026. Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Group F
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Iraq |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Qualified for the final tournament |
| 2 | Thailand (H) |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Possible qualification for the final tournament based on rankings |
| 3 |  United Arab Emirates |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 4 |  Turkmenistan |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Possible relegation to Development phase based on rankings |
First match(es) will be played: 31 August 2026. Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Group G
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Japan |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Qualified for the final tournament |
| 2 |  Yemen |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Possible qualification for the final tournament based on rankings |
| 3 | Cambodia (H) |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 4 |  Kuwait |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Possible relegation to Development phase based on rankings |
First match(es) will be played: 31 August 2026. Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Group H
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Australia |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Qualified for the final tournament |
| 2 |  Indonesia |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Possible qualification for the final tournament based on rankings |
| 3 |  Malaysia |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 4 | Laos (H) |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Possible relegation to Development phase based on rankings |
First match(es) will be played: 31 August 2026. Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Ranking of second-placed teams
| Pos | Grp | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A | Group A runner-up | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Qualified for the final tournament |
| 2 | B | Group B runner-up | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | C | Group C runner-up | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 4 | D | Group D runner-up | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 5 | E | Group E runner-up | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 6 | F | Group F runner-up | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 7 | G | Group G runner-up | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 8 | H | Group H runner-up | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
First match(es) will be played: 31 August 2026. Source: AFC
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) goals scored; 4) disciplinary points; 5) drawing of lots.
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) goals scored; 4) disciplinary points; 5) drawing of lots.
Ranking of fourth-placed teams
| Pos | Grp | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | B | Group B fourth-place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2 | C | Group C fourth-place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | D | Group D fourth-place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Relegated to the Development phase |
| 4 | E | Group E fourth-place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 5 | F | Group F fourth-place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 6 | G | Group G fourth-place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 7 | H | Group H fourth-place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 8 | A | Philippines |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
First match(es) will be played: 31 August 2026. Source: AFC
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) goals scored; 4) disciplinary points; 5) drawing of lots.
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) goals scored; 4) disciplinary points; 5) drawing of lots.
Development phase
Group I
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mongolia (H) |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Promotion to Qualification phase |
| 2 |  Guam |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 |  Northern Mariana Islands |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 4 |  Nepal |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Withdrew |
First match(es) will be played: unknown. Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Group J
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Chinese Taipei |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Promotion to Qualification phase |
| 2 |  Singapore |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | Bhutan (H) |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 4 |  Macau |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
First match(es) will be played: unknown. Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Group K
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Myanmar (H) |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Promotion to Qualification phase |
| 2 |  Maldives |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 |  Brunei |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 4 |  Sri Lanka |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
First match(es) will be played: 31 August 2026. Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Summary
Qualified teams
A total of 16 teams, including the hosts, will qualify for the final tournament.
| Team | Qualified as | Appearance | Previous best performance |
|---|---|---|---|
 China | Hosts | 21st | Champions (1985) |
| TBD | Group A winners | TBD | TBD |
| TBD | Group B winners | TBD | TBD |
| TBD | Group C winners | TBD | TBD |
| TBD | Group D winners | TBD | TBD |
| TBD | Group E winners | TBD | TBD |
| TBD | Group F winners | TBD | TBD |
| TBD | Group G winners | TBD | TBD |
| TBD | Group H winners | TBD | TBD |
| TBD | Best runners-up | TBD | TBD |
| TBD | 2nd-best runners-up | TBD | TBD |
| TBD | 3rd-best runners-up | TBD | TBD |
| TBD | 4th-best runners-up | TBD | TBD |
| TBD | 5th-best runners-up | TBD | TBD |
| TBD | 6th-best runners-up | TBD | TBD |
| TBD | 7th-best runners-up | TBD | TBD |
Promotion
A total of six teams from the development phase will be promoted to the 2029 AFC U-20 Asian Cup qualification phase.
Relegation
The six lowest-ranked fourth-placed teams from the qualification phase will be relegated to the 2029 AFC U-20 Asian Cup development phase.
| Team | Qualified as | Appearance | Previous best performance |
|---|---|---|---|
| TBD | Lowest Fourth-place | TBD | TBD |
| TBD | Second-lowest Fourth-place | TBD | TBD |
| TBD | Third-lowest Fourth-place | TBD | TBD |
| TBD | Fourth-lowest Fourth-place | TBD | TBD |
| TBD | Fifth-lowest Fourth-place | TBD | TBD |
| TBD | Sixth-lowest Fourth-place | TBD | TBD |
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