The 2026 AFC U23 Championship quarter-finals have closed with many dramatic developments, thereby fully identifying the 4 teams participating in the semi-finals.
In the first quarter-final match, U23 Japan and U23 Jordan created an exciting match. The two teams drew 1-1 after 90 minutes of official time and could not determine the winner in two extra periods.
From the penalty shootout, bravery and experience helped U23 Japan win 4-2 against Jordan, thereby continuing their journey to conquer the championship.
Quarter-final 2 witnessed the impressive performance of U23 Vietnam against U23 UAE. Under the guidance of coach Kim Sang-sik, the players played proactively and effectively, winning 3-2 with goals from Le Phat, Dinh Bac and Minh Phuc.
This is also considered one of the most emotional quarter-final matches, affirming the bravery of U23 Vietnam.
In the 3rd quarter-finals, U23 China and U23 Uzbekistan created a tight match. After 120 minutes of play without any goals being scored, the two teams were forced to enter a penalty shootout. Here, U23 China won 4-2 to put their name in the semi-finals.
The final quarter-final match was a tense confrontation between U23 Korea and U23 Australia. Despite making mistakes in a few situations, the effective attack helped the kimchi team overcome the opponent with a score of 2-1, thereby reaching the semi-finals of the AFC U23 Championship for the 5th time.
According to the schedule, the first semi-final match between U23 Japan and U23 Korea will take place at 6:30 PM on January 20. Meanwhile, U23 Vietnam will face U23 China in the second semi-final match, taking place at 10:30 PM on January 20.
AFC U23 Championship 2026 semi-final schedule:
6:30 PM on January 20th: U23 Japan - U23 Korea
10:30 PM on January 20th: U23 Vietnam - U23 China
