Record 29 Teams Launch Quest for AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup China 2027
An unprecedented field of nations begins their journey towards the continental finals as qualifying matches commence across eight venues throughout Asia
A historic gathering of 29 national teams will commence their campaigns to reach the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup China 2027 when qualifiers begin on 5th October, marking the largest field ever assembled for this stage of the competition.
This remarkable expansion surpasses the previous record of 28 teams established in 2019, with eight qualifying spots available for the 11th edition of the Finals. The tournament structure sees teams divided across eight groups competing in single round-robin formats, with group winners joining the four teams already qualified as defending champions Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, runners-up Japan, and semi-finalists Australia and China.
Bhutan will make their historic debut in the Qualifiers, whilst eleven nations are targeting maiden Finals appearances: the United Arab Emirates, Cambodia, Iraq, Kyrgyz Republic, Malaysia, Northern Mariana Islands, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tajikistan and Macau. The UAE will contest their first qualifying campaign since 2019, having previously participated in 2013.
Matches will be staged across eight venues: Tajikistan hosts Group A, featuring the UAE against the Republic of Korea; Singapore stages Group B with hosts facing Saudi Arabia; Laos accommodates Group C, where Cambodia and Laos meet on 8th October; Ho Chi Minh City hosts Group D with Vietnam seeking a third Finals appearance against Palestine; Malaysia hosts Group E with India playing Iraq and hosts facing Syria; Thailand stages Group F where established finalists Thailand begin their seventh qualifying campaign against inaugural participants Bhutan; Myanmar’s Thuwunna Stadium hosts Group G with Guam and Hong Kong chasing returns to the Finals; and Tashkent accommodates Group H where Philippines face hosts Uzbekistan.
Notable storylines include Jordan beginning their eighth qualifying campaign seeking their return to the Finals after 2013, whilst Bangladesh aims for their first Finals appearance since 2019. Lebanon, following their 2026 Finals debut, will contest their fourth qualifying campaign against Macau in Thailand.
The ninth edition of the Qualifiers process has become integral to developing women’s youth football across the continent, with Thailand remaining the only nation to have participated in every Finals tournament since its inception.
Source: WAM