The 2026 FIFA ASEAN Cup was the inaugural edition of the FIFA ASEAN Cup, an international football competition sanctioned by FIFA for men's national teams of Southeast Asia and guest teams. The tournament took place during the FIFA international window from 24 September to 5 October.
The tournament comprised two competitions: the FIFA ASEAN Cup, hosted by Indonesia, and the FIFA ASEAN Challenge Cup, hosted by Hong Kong. The FIFA ASEAN Cup champions were reported to receive a prize of US$1 million, with the total prize pool estimated at US$4 million. However, this was slashed by 35% to US$650,000 three days before the start of the tournament.
Background FIFA president Gianni Infantino announced the launch of the FIFA ASEAN Cup on 26 October 2025, following the signing of a memorandum of understanding at the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, witnessed by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. The competition was announced unilaterally by FIFA; the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) was reportedly unaware of the plan for a second Southeast Asian men's tournament prior to the announcement.
The AFF has organised the ASEAN Championship, the existing premier football tournament for Southeast Asian men's national teams since 1996. A key distinction between the two competitions is that the FIFA ASEAN Cup is held within official FIFA international windows, meaning clubs are obliged to release their players for the tournament. The ASEAN Championship has historically been played outside those windows, with no such obligation on clubs. The competition follows the model of the FIFA Arab Cup, a FIFA-sanctioned regional tournament for teams in West Asia and North Africa.
On 20 March 2026, the FIFA Council officially approved the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup at an online meeting, scheduling it for September–October 2026, after the 2026 ASEAN Championship. Following the 76th FIFA Congress in Vancouver, Canada, FIFA, and the ASEAN Football Federation signed a memorandum of understanding confirming the tournament's two-division structure and host countries.
The second division held in Hong Kong was quietly rebranded as the FIFA ASEAN Challenge Cup while the tournament was in progress.
Host countries The eight teams competing in the FIFA ASEAN Cup were divided into two groups and played their matches in Indonesia, at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta and Si Jalak Harupat Stadium in Bandung. Hong Kong is a member of the East Asian Football Federation (EAFF), and participated as the FIFA ASEAN Challenge Cup host. Matches were held at Kai Tak Stadium and Mong Kok Stadium.
Venues FIFA ASEAN CupFIFA ASEAN Challenge Cup Jakarta Bandung Hong Kong Gelora Bung Karno Stadium Si Jalak Harupat Stadium Kai Tak Stadium Mong Kok Stadium Capacity: 77,193 Capacity: 27,000 Capacity: 50,000 Capacity: 6,664
Participating teams A total of 14 to 16 teams were planned for the inaugural edition. All members of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) had a guaranteed slot. China, India and Hong Kong were invited to the competition. However, China, focusing on their preparation for the upcoming AFC Asian Cup, decided not to participate, and was replaced by Pakistan. India which was already drawn to be part of Group A withdrew due to commitments to play a friendly match with Brazil, and was then replaced by Bangladesh. Australia is the only AFF member not to enter.
+ From July 2026 FIFA World Ranking FIFA ASEAN Cup FIFA ASEAN Challenge Cup (118) (host) (94) (99) (135) (136) (148) (181) (198) (156) (158) (175) (185) (194) (201)
Squads
The 14 national teams involved in the tournament were required to register a squad of 23 players, including three goalkeepers. Only players in these squads were eligible to take part in the tournament. The position listed for each player is per the official squad list published by FIFA on 24 September 2026.
Match officials FIFA appointed match officials for the tournament.
ConfederationRefereeAssistant referees Video assistant referee AFC Ben Abraham Arvin Shanmuganathan Luk Kin Sun Amirjon Khorkashev Akobirkhuzha Shukurullaev Ngô Duy Lân Wong Wai Lun Law Ming Leong Fok Pong Shing Thoriq Alkatiri Bambang Syamsudar Nurhadi Sulchan Sanzhar Zhakypbekov Zayniddin Alimov Eldiar Salbaev Kanat Myrsabekov Abdugani Abdukarimov Ko Hyung-jin Kim Hee-gon Kim Jong-hyeok Yoon Jae-Yeol Kwak Seung-Soon Cheo Jin-Heen Lee Hwa-Pyung Park Kyun-yong Razlan Joffri Ali Arif Shamil Kesava Raj Muhammad Taqi Abdul Hannan Andy Tan Abdullo Davlatov Nasrullo Kabirov Akmal Buriev Vafo Karaev Khusravi Siddikzod Mongkolchai Pechsri Torphong Somsing Thanet Chucheun Chotrawee Thongduang Nattaphon Mala Rachen Srichai Resul Mammedov Ahmet Begnazarov Begenç Allaberdiýew Abdurashid Khudoyberganov Akhrol Riskullaev Rustam Lutfullin Sanzhar Shoyusupov Akmal G'iyosov
Group stage The group stage was played from 24 September to 2 October 2026 and was divided into two separate competitions: the FIFA ASEAN Cup and the FIFA ASEAN Challenge Cup. The FIFA ASEAN Cup featured eight teams divided into two groups of four, while the FIFA ASEAN Challenge Cup featured six teams divided into two groups of three. Both competitions used a single round-robin format, with teams playing each other once. Three points were awarded for a win, one point for a draw, and no points for a loss.
In the FIFA ASEAN Cup, the winners of Groups A and B advanced to the FIFA ASEAN Cup Final, while the runners-up advanced to the bronze final. In the FIFA ASEAN Challenge Cup, the winners of Groups A and B advanced to the FIFA ASEAN Challenge Cup final.
All match times are in local time: WIB (UTC+7) for the FIFA ASEAN Cup and HKT (UTC+8) for the FIFA ASEAN Challenge Cup.
+Tie-breaking criteria for group stage rankingThe ranking of teams in each group was determined by the points obtained in all group matches. If two or more teams were equal on points, the following criteria were used to determine the ranking: If, after having applied criteria a) to c) above, teams still have an equal ranking, and in order to determine their final rankings, criteria a) to c) above are applied to the matches between the remaining teams only. If no decision can be made through this procedure, criteria d) to f) below shall apply as follows to the two or more teams still equal on points:
FIFA ASEAN Cup
Group A
Group B
FIFA ASEAN Challenge Cup
Group A
Group B
Bronze final The runners-up of Groups A and B in the FIFA ASEAN Cup contested the bronze final on 5 October 2026 at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta. The FIFA ASEAN Challenge Cup did not feature a bronze final, with only the group winners advancing to its final.
FIFA ASEAN Cup
Finals FIFA ASEAN Cup
FIFA ASEAN Challenge Cup
Statistics FIFA ASEAN Cup
Challenge Cup
Discipline A player or team official was automatically suspended for the next match of the tournament for the following offenses: Receiving a red card (red card suspensions could be extended for serious offenses). Receiving two yellow cards in the tournament.
The following suspensions were accumulated during the tournament:
+Suspensions for players and team officialsPlayerOffense(s)Suspension(s) Safuwan Baharudin in FIFA ASEAN Cup Group A vs Indonesia (25 September)FIFA ASEAN Cup Group A vs Bangladesh (28 September) Thom Haye in FIFA ASEAN Cup Group A vs Malaysia (28 September)FIFA ASEAN Cup Group A vs Bangladesh (1 October) Nicholas Mickelson in FIFA ASEAN Cup final vs Indonesia (5 October)Suspension served outside the tournament
Prize money The following prize distribution has been reported.
Result Prize moneyFIFA ASEAN Cup champion US$650,000FIFA ASEAN Challenge Cup champion US$300,000Team participation fee US$125,000Total prize pool: ~US$1,075,000
Broadcasting CountryBroadcasterSBST Sports, ToffeeViuTVEmtek, Nex, RANSLaoTVRTMRTM only broadcast matches involving the Malaysia national football team.TapmadTap SportsTap Sports broadcast ASEAN Cup matches only.MediacorpENA SportsFPT Play, TV360, MyTVInternationalFIFA+
See also 2026 ASEAN Championship ASEAN Football Federation 2026 SAFF Championship FIFA Arab Cup
Notes
References
External links Tournament home at FIFA