Four female football players in white and red kits celebrate on a green pitch during a match. The player in the centre, wearing number 18, smiles broadly and points upward with one hand, while her teammates run alongside her with expressions of joy and excitement. They are wearing white kits with red accents, white shorts, and tall white socks. In the background, there are blurred stadium seats and a banner with "#WAC2022" visible.
Photo: Courtesy AFC

2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup Group A preview: Fixtures, teams & World Cup qualification battle

Finley Chung

As the first international tournament of 2026 approaches, the AFC Women’s Asia Cup takes centre stage in Australia throughout March. With six qualification spots for the FIFA Women’s World Cup on the line, every result carries significant weight.

Group A features hosts Australia, with international tournament fever returning to the nation after the 2023 World Cup. They will kick off the competition at Perth Stadium against the Philippines on March 1.

The Matildas, who will enjoy the majority of the support at the tournament, will be looking to reclaim a crown they last won four editions ago in 2010. Thirteen members of the current squad will be familiar to a core English audience, all currently playing in the Women’s Super League. Joe Montemurro has combined experienced with youth in his squads since taking over, with only eight of the twenty six person squad aged over thirty, with Emily Van Egmond now only five caps away from being the all time appearance holder for Australia. Sam Kerr, the countries all time top scorer, will be looking to add to her 69 goals. 

Australia’s main competitors 

Alongside the hosts in Group A is South Korea, who enjoyed their best Asian Cup performance in 2022, finishing second. They famously beat Australia in the quarter-finals of that tournament, but let a 2-0 lead slip in the final, eventually losing 3-2 to China.

They are once again led by their greatest-ever player, former Chelsea star Ji So-Yun, who has returned to her native South Korea in the twilight of her career. This will surely be the former Blues’ final international tournament at age 35. She is by far the country’s all-time appearance holder and record goalscorer, boasting 171 caps and 74 goals over a twenty-year international career.

The main focus in Group A will be on Australia and South Korea, with their clash on the final matchday in Sydney likely to be crucial for both sides’ progression into the knockout rounds.

Iran’s Time in the Spotlight 

For the Iranian national team, this should be a moment to cherish, but due to the political landscape, their preparation for the tournament has been far from ideal.

Their tournament campaign will be defined by resilience and courage, as they aim to inspire fans worldwide at just their second-ever Asian Cup, showcasing bravery in the face of immense challenges back home.

Philippines building on past successes

The fourth and final team in Group A is the Philippines, entering the Asian Cup despite having advanced past the group stage only twice in eight previous attempts.

The Filipinas, however, have recent on-pitch successes to build on, having won the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand with a thrilling penalty shootout victory over Vietnam in the final.

Under boss Mark Torcasso, who has managerial experience in Australia, nine members of the coaching staff and squad have ties to the country, either through the Men’s League on the staff side or the Women’s A-League on the playing side.

Returning to their native Australia is sure to bring back fond memories, but everyone will be united and motivated to make this another memorable tournament for the Philippines.

You can find below a full breakdown of Group A fixtures below, as the high stakes international tournament gets underway this weekend. 

  • March 1, 2026: Australia v Philippines – Perth Stadium, Perth. Kick-off 5pm AEDT (6am GMT) 
  • March 2, 2026: South Korea v Iran – Gold Coast Stadium, Gold Coast. Kick-off 7pm AEDT (8am GMT) 
  • March 5, 2026: Philippines v South Korea – Gold Coast Stadium, Gold Coast. Kick-off 1pm AEDT (2am GMT) 
  • March 5, 2026: Iran v Australia – Gold Coast Stadium, Gold Coast. Kick-off 7pm AEDT (8am GMT) 
  • March 8, 2026: Iran v Philippines – Gold Coast Stadium, Gold Coast. Kick-off 7pm AEDT (8am GMT) 
  • March 8, 2026: Australia v South Korea – Stadium Australia, Sydney. Kick-off 8pm AEDT (9am GMT) 

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AFC Women's Asian Cup Group A preview