UAE to host qualifying group for AFC U-23 Asian Cup

April 30, 2025 / 9:19 PM

Sharjah 24: The UAE Football Association has announced that the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has approved its request to host one of the qualifying groups for the AFC U-23 Asian Cup, which will take place in Saudi Arabia in 2026. The qualifiers are scheduled to run from September 1 to 9, 2025.

44 teams to compete across 11 groups

A total of 44 national teams will compete in the qualifiers, which will be organized into 11 groups, each consisting of four teams. These qualifying matches will determine the teams advancing to the final tournament in Saudi Arabia.

Group draw to take place in May

The official draw for the qualifiers will be held on May 29 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with AFC officials and representatives from participating nations in attendance.