The tournament marks the first time FIFA directly organizes and operates a regional playground called FIFA ASEAN Cup, taking place during FIFA Days from September 24 to October 3. 2026. Matches are all scored on the FIFA rankings according to regulations for international matches during FIFA Days, creating conditions for teams to call up the strongest forces, including players playing abroad.
According to the format announced by FIFA, the tournament includes two divisions: Division 1 and Division 2.
In Division 1, Group A includes Indonesia, India, Malaysia and Singapore. Group B includes Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines and Pakistan.
Meanwhile, Division 2 includes Group A with Hong Kong (China), Myanmar and Brunei; Group B includes Cambodia, Laos and Timor-Leste.
Division 1 matches will be held in Indonesia, while Division 2 takes place in Hong Kong (China).
Notably, in addition to 11 teams from Southeast Asia, FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 also has two guest teams, Pakistan and Hong Kong (China). The expansion of the participation is expected to increase the professional quality and international exchange opportunities for teams in the region.
The application of the two-class model is also considered a new point of the tournament. Accordingly, teams will compete with opponents with similar levels, contributing to improving competitiveness, limiting too large differences in expertise, and creating motivation for teams to aim for promotion or maintaining their position in Division 1 in the following seasons.
For the Vietnamese team, being in the same group as Thailand, Philippines and Pakistan promises to bring many highly competitive matches, and at the same time create opportunities to accumulate points in the FIFA rankings in the preparation phase for the team's big goals.
According to the plan, FIFA will announce the detailed schedule and regulations of the tournament in the near future. Currently, member federations are completing registration procedures to participate according to FIFA's instructions.
