According to the schedule, matches at FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 take place from September 24 to October 3 during FIFA Days. Match results will be scored on the FIFA rankings.
This is a big difference compared to previous tournaments, helping teams both compete for titles and have the opportunity to improve their positions in the world rankings.
The tournament is divided into two divisions including Premier Division and Challenge Division, aiming to create a balance in level between teams.
In the Premier Division (1st division), the 8 strongest teams are divided into two groups. Group A includes Indonesia, India, Malaysia and Singapore; Group B gathers Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines and Pakistan. In which, Group B receives a lot of attention with the participation of two leading Southeast Asian teams, Vietnam and Thailand.
After the group stage, the top two teams in each group will win the right to enter the final to compete for the championship. The two second-placed teams will play a third-place match, and the third and fourth-placed teams will continue to meet to determine the positions of 5-6 and 7-8.
The organizing committee will award gold, silver, bronze medals and corresponding bonuses to teams with high achievements.
Meanwhile, Challenge Division (2nd place) is for the remaining teams of the region. Group A includes Hong Kong (China), Myanmar and Brunei; Group B includes Cambodia, Laos and Timor Leste.
Each group selects the top team to enter the final to compete for the championship. Unlike the Premier Division, this league only awards gold medals to the champion, and teams that do not qualify for the final match will end their journey right after the group stage.
With this format, teams in the Challenge Division compete a minimum of 2 matches and a maximum of 3 matches, lower than the maximum allowed matches during FIFA Days.
Although FIFA has not announced the detailed schedule as well as the full regulations, FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 has received great attention from fans and regional media.
The fact that the tournament is managed by FIFA, along with a new competition and scoring system, is expected to raise the professional value, and at the same time create more motivation for Southeast Asian teams to aim for bigger goals in the international arena.
