Less than three years after Australia hosted a landmark FIFA Women’s World Cup, another major international tournament is set to arrive on home soil. From March 1st to the 21st, the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup will bring the continent’s top national teams to Perth, the Gold Coast and Sydney, continuing the rapid growth and visibility of women’s football across the region.
The AFC Women’s Asian Cup is the premier international women’s football competition in Asia. Held every four years, it determines the continental champion while also serving as a key qualification pathway for both the FIFA Women’s World Cup and the Olympic Games. With qualification and silverware both at stake, the tournament consistently carries significant competitive weight.
What is the Women’s Asian Cup?
The AFC Women’s Asian Cup brings together the strongest national teams from across Asia to compete for continental honours. Since its inception in 1975, the tournament has grown alongside the women’s game in the region, becoming a critical marker of development and progress for Asian federations.
The 2026 edition will see 12 nations compete across three Australian host cities. Beyond the title itself, the tournament has major global implications. Six teams will qualify directly for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil through their performance at this event, while all eight quarter-finalists will progress into the AFC’s qualification pathway for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Tournament format and key dates
The competition begins on March 1st, 2026, with hosts Australia facing the Philippines at Optus Stadium in Perth. The tournament will run for three weeks before concluding with the final on March 21st.
Teams are divided into three groups of four, with each side playing the others in their pool once. The top two teams from each group, along with the two best third-placed teams, advance to the quarter-finals. From that point, the competition moves into a straight knockout format through the semi-finals and final.
Group A features Australia, South Korea, Iran and the Philippines. Group B includes defending champions China alongside North Korea, Bangladesh and Uzbekistan. Group C is headlined by Japan, joined by Vietnam, India and Chinese Taipei.
Matches will be played across five venues in Perth, the Gold Coast and Sydney, providing broad national access to the tournament.
Leading contenders
Several nations enter the 2026 Asian Cup as genuine title contenders.
Japan remain one of the most technically refined teams in Asia. The 2011 world champions have previously lifted the Asian Cup in 2014 and 2018 and continue to produce players competing at the highest levels of European club football. Their consistency at major tournaments makes them a perennial threat.
China PR, the defending champions, also arrive with strong pedigree. The Steel Roses are the most successful nation in the competition’s history with nine titles and demonstrated their resilience by winning the 2022 edition. Under Australian head coach Ante Milicic, China will aim to defend their crown and extend their historic dominance in the tournament.
North Korea, three-time champions, remain an unpredictable but dangerous presence whenever they compete, while South Korea will be motivated to improve on their runner-up finish in 2022.
The Philippines are widely viewed as one of the region’s fastest-rising programs. Their recent progress — including a landmark FIFA Women’s World Cup appearance in 2023 and gold at the 2025 SEA Games — reflects significant investment and development. Led by Australian coach Mark Torcaso, they could again prove difficult opposition.
Australia’s position
As hosts, the CommBank Matildas will naturally enter the tournament among the leading contenders. Australia’s run to the semi-finals of the 2023 World Cup significantly elevated the team’s profile domestically, and the opportunity to compete for continental silverware at home presents another important moment.
However, the Asian Cup has historically been challenging for Australia. Since joining the Asian Football Confederation in 2006, the Matildas have lifted the trophy only once — in 2010 — despite regularly progressing deep into the tournament. Their quarter-final exit in 2022, including elimination by South Korea, highlighted the competitiveness of the region.
Under head coach Joe Montemurro, the 2026 tournament also forms part of a broader strategic cycle that includes the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games. Performance in this Asian Cup will provide an early indication of Australia’s trajectory across this next phase.
How to watch
Supporters hoping to attend matches in person can still purchase tickets through official tournament channels, with fixtures spread across Perth, the Gold Coast and Sydney.
For viewers in Australia, all Matildas matches will be broadcast live on Network 10, while Paramount+ will stream the full tournament.
A significant moment for the region
While global attention often centres on the FIFA Women’s World Cup, the AFC Women’s Asian Cup remains one of the most important competitions in the women’s international calendar. It serves as both a measure of continental strength and a launchpad for emerging programs.
With World Cup and Olympic qualification on the line, established powers defending their status and rising nations continuing to close the gap, the 2026 tournament is positioned to be another meaningful chapter in the rapid evolution of women’s football across Asia.
