March 20 – China is set to host the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup in both 2028 and 2030, with their appointment to be ratified by the AFC’s executive committee. It will see China stage the tournament for a record seventh and eighth time.
The decision was taken by the AFC Women’s Football Committee meeting before the 2026 Women’s Asian Cup final Sydney, Australia. The 2026 edition of the U20 competition will be held in Thailand, kicking off April 1.
The committee has also backed a series of structural reforms to its youth competitions. Following changes to the men’s pathway earlier this year, the committee endorsed similar updates across the women’s U17 and U20 Asian Cups .
For the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup, qualification will be via a regional model from 2027 – meaning regional Associations will run their own competitions, with places split ASEAN (4), East (4), Central (1), South (1), West (1), plus the host, who will be the only automatic qualifier.
It’s a tweak aimed at narrowing the gap between the AFC’s East and West regions without shutting anyone out. Qualifiers will be played in fixed windows – July to September or December – with the finals played in the first half of the following year.
At U20 level, a new two-phase system will be introduced designed to bring in promotion and relegation.
Similar to what the UEFA Nations League, the new-look qualification phase will see 20 teams divided into five groups of four. The top two in each group, along with the best runner-up, go through to the Finals.
Teams finishing bottom of the group drop into a Development Phase for the next cycle. That Development Phase is expected to feature around 19 teams across four groups, offering a route back up.
Seeding for 2027 will be structured around the current FIFA world rankings, with future editions shaped by movement between the two tiers. The AFC is sticking with the single-round format to reduce fixture congestion.
Looking ahead, the Committee has tasked the AFC administration with finalising operational details with Regional Associations, including any adjustments based on final entries.
Alongside the structural changes, regulations for the AFC Women’s Champions League 2026/27 were approved, as well as amendments to the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup regulations for the 2027 and 2028 editions.
The meeting also reflected on the broader growth of the women’s game in Asia, pointing to the current Women’s Asian Cup that closes with its final between Australia and Japan this weekend as the example of rising standards across the continent.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at [email protected]
