1 hour ago
3
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- After the 2026 World Cup, the attention of Southeast Asian football will shift to an equally important stage for countries in the region. The new stage of Southeast Asian football is named FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026.
The grand tournament runs from September 24 to October 5, 2026 in Indonesia and Hong Kong, China, involving 14 countries in the inaugural edition of the regional competition under the auspices of FIFA.
Indonesia was given an important role in the early history of the tournament. Jakarta and Bandung were the locations of Division 1 matches, which brought together eight teams, including the Indonesian national team. Meanwhile, Hong Kong hosted Division 2 in which six countries participated.
For Southeast Asian countries, the FIFA ASEAN Cup is a prestigious stage to measure the strength of national teams at the regional level. Unlike the AFF Cup, the FIFA ASEAN Cup is included in FIFA's international match calendar thus giving the participating country the opportunity to field its best players.
Involving all 11 ASEAN members as well as three invited countries, the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 presents a new format for the region's national antarctic football competition. The tournament is simultaneously a stage for participating countries to get prestigious international matches in the FIFA calendar.
Two Divisions
In Division 1, Indonesia is in Group A alongside Malaysia, Singapore and Bangladesh. Group B is inhabited by Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, and Pakistan.
Meanwhile, Division 2 which took place in Hong Kong was followed by hosts Hong Kong, Laos, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Timor-Leste.
Each division is divided into two groups. Each team will meet once with the opponent in its group. The group champions then advanced to the final to contest the division champion title. Especially Division 1, the two group runners-up will also compete to determine the third place.
The prestige of the tournament was also reflected by the prizes that FIFA prepared. The Division 1 champion will receive a prize of $1 million, while the Division 2 champion will receive $300,000. Participants also earn participation money, making the FIFA ASEAN Cup one of the regional competitions with great prize value for Southeast Asian football.
