May 5 – Saudi Arabia has been awarded hosting rights for the next three editions of the AFC U17 Asian Cup.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Competitions Committee at its fourth meeting on the sidelines of the AFC Champions League Elite final in Jeddah this weekend, said the Saudis were selected ahead of the Chinese Football Association (CFA) and the Iraqi Football Association following a bid evaluation report. The hosting will be rubber-stamped at the next AFC executive committee meeting.
The Committee noted that both the CFA and SAFF met the hosting requirements but also recognised the earlier decision by the AFC Women’s Football Committee to award the next three editions of the U17 women’s Asian Cup 2026-28 to China.
They said the award to Saudi Arabia was made to SAFF “as part of efforts to ensure diversity and equity in the larger host selection process”.
In 2026 the Saudis will also host the U23 Asian Cup and in 2027 the AFC’s blue riband men’s national team competition the Asian Cup.
Competitions committee chairperson Dr Tran Quoc Tuan wished the ACLE finalists Kawasaki Frontale and AlAhli the best of success and praised SAFF and the Local Organising Committee on the organisation of the finals in Jeddah.
In other business the committee approved new concussion substitution regulations for the AFC Champions League Two 2025/26 and the AFC Challenge League 2025/26, as well as additions to the U17 Asian Cup 2026 Regulations, the AFC Equipment Regulations (Edition 2025).
The committee noted “the unprecedented circumstances and critical situation faced by the Lebanese Football Association (LFA) in the lead up to the AFC U17 Asian Cup 2025 Qualifiers and recognised the LFA’s withdrawal from the competition as a case of force majeure”.
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