The final eight stage of the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup is now confirmed following the conclusion of the group stage, with Asia’s top sides securing their quarter-final places after an eventful opening phase of the tournament
Hosts Australia advanced as runners-up from Group A after an unbeaten campaign. The Matildas finished level on points with South Korea following a dramatic 3–3 draw in their final group match, with South Korea taking top spot on goal difference.
In Group B, defending champions China delivered a dominant group-stage campaign, winning all three of their matches to finish with a perfect record. Their performances reinforced their credentials as strong contenders to retain the continental crown.
Joining them in the knockout phase are three-time champions Korea DPR, who secured qualification with two victories and one defeat.
Group C concluded with two decisive fixtures that confirmed the final standings. Japan underlined their dominance with a 4–0 victory over Vietnam to finish top of the group with a perfect nine points without conceding a goal. Their campaign also included one of the tournament’s most emphatic results, an 11–0 win over India, highlighting their attacking firepower and clinical finishing and underlining why other teams will be wary of facing them.
The race for second place in the group was decided in the other final-day encounter, where Chinese Taipei defeated India 3–1 to secure qualification with six points, finishing behind Japan in the standings.
Drama unfolded in the race for the two best third-placed teams. Vietnam had been leading before their final group match, but their results left them short on goal difference, ultimately missing out on qualification. Uzbekistan kept their hopes alive with a 4–0 win over Bangladesh, while the Philippines secured their place with a 2–0 victory against Iran, with all three teams finishing on three points.
With the group stage complete, the quarter-final line-up features eight teams:
Australia, China, Chinese Taipei, Japan, Korea DPR, Philippines, South Korea, and Uzbekistan.
Quarter-final fixtures:
Australia vs Korea DPR
China vs Chinese Taipei
South Korea vs Uzbekistan
Japan vs Philippines
The quarter-finals will take place across three days. Australia face Korea DPR on Friday, 13 March, while two matches, China vs Chinese Taipei and South Korea vs Uzbekistan, will be played on Saturday, 14 March. The final quarter-final between Japan and the Philippines will take place on Sunday, 15 March.
These matches carry additional significance beyond the race for the continental title. All four semi-finalists will secure automatic qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
Teams eliminated at the quarter-final stage will still have another pathway to the global tournament. The four losing sides will contest play-in matches on Thursday, 19 March to determine which two teams claim the remaining direct qualification spots, while the other two will advance to the intercontinental FIFA Women’s World Cup play-off tournament.
With the final eight decided, focus now turns to the knockout stage, where continental glory and World Cup qualification are at stake. For the remaining teams, lifting the AFC Women’s Asian Cup trophy and a place on the world stage is just three wins away
