TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The draw for the U-23 Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers was held at the AFC House, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Thursday, May 29, 2025. As a result, the Indonesian U-23 national team is placed in Group J with South Korea, Laos, and Macau.
Forty-four teams are divided into 11 groups for this qualifying round, competing for a spot in the final round in Saudi Arabia in January 2026. A series of matches scheduled for September 1-9 will be held in Indonesia, which will host Group J.
From all the groups, only the group winners and the four best second-placed teams will advance to the final round, joining hosts Saudi Arabia. Group J is predicted to be highly competitive. South Korea, the champion of the 2020 edition, is seen as the favorite in this group.
The Indonesian U-23 national team is expected to create surprises when it plays as the host in this qualifying round. Previously, the Red and White team, under the guidance of Shin Tae-yong, performed impressively by reaching the semifinals in the U-23 Asian Cup 2024.
Complete results of the draw for the U-23 Asian Cup 2026 qualifiers:
Group A: Jordan (H), Turkmenistan, Taiwan, Bhutan
Group B: Japan, Kuwait, Myanmar (H), Afghanistan
Group C: Vietnam (H), Yemen, Singapore, Bangladesh
Group D: Australia, China PR (H), Timor-Leste, Northern Mariana Islands
Group E: Uzbekistan, Palestine, Kyrgyzstan (H), Sri Lanka
Group F: Thailand (H), Malaysia, Lebanon, Mongolia
Group G: Iraq, Cambodia (H), Oman, Pakistan
Group H: Qatar (H), Bahrain, India, Brunei Darussalam
Group I: United Arab Emirates (H), Iran, Hong Kong, Guam
Group J: South Korea, Indonesia (H), Laos, Macau
Group K: Tajikistan (H), Syria, Philippines, Nepal
Editor's Choice: Indonesia Can Beat China, but Japan Will Be Tough, Says Patrick Kluivert
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