Kuala lumpur: The 38 teams aiming for a spot in the AFC U-17 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026 discovered their qualifying paths on Thursday, source AFC website. The official draw, conducted at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, divided the teams into seven groups-three groups of six teams each and four groups of five.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, all group winners will progress to the 21st edition of the Finals, joining the nine AFC representatives from the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025 who have already secured their spots. These teams include Qatar, Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia, Korea Republic, DPR Korea, Japan, Tajikistan, United Arab Emirates, and Indonesia.
The Qualifiers are scheduled to take place in a single round-robin centralized league format from November 22 to 30, 2025. Group A, featuring hosts China PR, will also include Bangladesh, Bahrain, Brunei Darussalam, Timor-Leste, and Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, Group B comprises 2002 runners-up Yemen, hosts Kyrgyz Republic, Laos, Cambodia, Guam, and Pakistan.
Group C will bring together hosts Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Northern Mariana Islands, and Macau. Group D includes 2008 winners Islamic Republic of Iran, hosts India, Palestine, Chinese Taipei, and Lebanon.
Australia leads Group E, where they will face 2016 winners Iraq, Philippines, hosts Jordan, and Bhutan. Group F consists of hosts Thailand, Kuwait, Turkmenistan, Mongolia, and Maldives, all vying for an automatic spot.
Lastly, Group G will see two-time winners Oman, Afghanistan, hosts Myanmar, Syria, and Nepal compete. The Finals will be held from May 7 to 24, 2026.