2026 Women’s Asian Cup: Favourites, players to watch and predictions
Heavyweights, emerging challengers and World Cup qualification define a wide-open tournament in Australia.
Three years after co-hosting the World Cup for the very first time, Australia will welcome Asia’s best teams to its shores for the 2026 Women’s Asian Cup.
After the dramatic but Covid-marred 2022 Women’s Asian Cup, the 2026 edition of the tournament is set to be the first time that 12 teams compete in front of crowds and lively atmospheres. Five stadiums in three cities across Australia – Sydney, Perth and the Gold Coast – will host the competition’s 27 matches, starting with the opener on 1 March and culminating in the final 21 days later.
All things considered, this tournament is widely expected to be the biggest and best-attended Women’s Asian Cup to date. Nevertheless, the AFC has refused to increase the prize pot from the $1.8m that was distributed at the last edition, a decision that players’ union Fifpro has argued against. By contrast, the AFC’s budget for the last men’s Asian Cup allocated $14.8m for prize money. Interestingly, the recently inaugurated AFC Women’s Champions League also offers each of its 12 participating clubs close to $4m every season.
Of course, this should not take away from the high-quality action that awaits fans and neutrals alike on the pitches. Besides continental glory, four direct qualification spots at the 2027 World Cup as well as two places in the inter-confederation play-offs will be on offer at what promises to be an exciting tournament.
Teams
Favourites
Despite all of their impressive performances on the international stage over the last two decades, Japan have only two Women’s Asian Cup titles in their cabinet. Those came in successive tournaments in 2014 and 2018, but apart from that, they have not reached another final since 2001.
Nadeshiko Japan impressed at the last World Cup before going on to finish fifth at the 2024 Summer Olympics. They have, by far, one of the strongest squads of the tournament on paper and have been drawn in the easiest of the three groups, so anything but the title will be considered a disappointment.
Hosts Australia are expected to be the strongest challengers to Asia’s highest-ranked national team. Should both teams win their groups as expected, they will collide in a blockbuster semi-final.
The two teams have faced off in 30 matches over the years, developing a noteworthy intra-AFC rivalry. Their last competitive meeting was the 2018 final, in which Australia missed out on a second title. The Matildas will be keen to avenge that defeat and lift their first major international women’s title on home soil, having been denied at the last World Cup as well as the 2006 Asian Cup final.
Both teams will be led by relatively new head coaches in Joe Montemurro and Nils Nielsen, who took charge of Australia and Japan respectively after the last Olympics. As a result, we should see some fascinating tactical battles as they lead the two powerhouses into a major tournament for the very first time.
Underdogs
It might seem strange to classify the defending and record champions as underdogs, but few outside of China will claim that the Steel Roses are currently operating at the same level as Australia and Japan. The nine-time champions were utterly dominant through the late 1980s and 90s as they went on a run of seven straight titles, but have only added two more since the turn of the century. Their triumph last time around was amid exceptional circumstances as the Covid-19 pandemic wreaked havoc among some of their rivals, so they will face an uphill battle against full-strength opponents.
A similar assessment applies to the defeated 2022 finalists as well. South Korea have a good blend of experience and young talent in their squad, but will face a tough challenge against Australia in Group A. Their projected knockout path will also feature a tough quarter-final, so they will be tested to the limit should they manage to go the distance.
Perhaps the most interesting side at the tournament will be their neighbours, North Korea. The Eastern Azaleas became a real force in Asian football around the turn of the century as they won three Asian Cup titles and appeared at four consecutive World Cups, but have not played a major tournament since the 2012 Olympics after being rocked by a doping scandal. Scouting them will be a challenge since all of their players are only allowed to play domestically, but their under-20 side’s 2024 Asian Cup and World Cup triumphs suggest they still have the quality to compete with the best of the best.
Outsiders
The gulf in quality between the favourites and minnows in the AFC remains significant, as evidenced by the fact that there were six results with a margin of five or more goals at the last Asian Cup. So, anyone apart from the aforementioned sides will require nothing short of a miracle to make the semi-finals. However, the rest do have a massive reward to chase in the shape of a potential World Cup spot.
The Group C teams are best placed in that regard as they will have up to two knockout spots on offer behind Japan. Vietnam are the highest-ranked of the remaining sides, and having already made their World Cup debut in 2023, they will back themselves to continue on the road to Brazil.
The battle between Chinese Taipei and India, then, will be a huge subplot. The former won three straight Asian Cups between 1977 and 1981, while India are still waiting for their first football World Cup appearance. The Blue Tigresses will be very keen to turn a page on the last Asian Cup despite having hosted it, since they were forced to withdraw after Covid-19 cases decimated their squad.
In Group A, the Philippines will also be looking to return to the World Cup after debuting in 2023. They will face an Iranian side making their second appearance on the continental stage (and the first in front of fans) at a delicate time of political turmoil back home.
Group B features the lowest-ranked teams from Pots 3 and 4. Uzbekistan will be looking to make a positive impression before gearing up to host the next edition of the Asian Cup, while Bangladesh will be proudly making their tournament debut.
Players to watch
At the time of Japan’s 2018 Asian Cup triumph, Yui Hasegawa was a young starlet still plying her trade for domestic giants Tokyo Verdy Beleza. Eight years on, she now captains the national team and is widely regarded as one of the best midfielders in the world. Her exceptional on-ball quality and impressive experience will be crucial in Japan’s bid to lift their third title.
Kyra Cooney-Cross is someone who might be keen to emulate Hasegawa’s national team trajectory. The 24-year-old midfielder has seen very limited game time for recently crowned Fifa Women’s Champions Cup winners Arsenal this season, but remains a trusted and top-quality operator for the Matildas. She already has 63 international caps at just 24 years old, so this tournament could well be a key chapter in a long and successful career.
Wang Shuang was China’s joint top-scorer in their successful 2022 Asian Cup campaign with five goals. Her compatriot Wang Shanshan got the same return and was named the tournament’s best player, but she won’t play a part in the title defence. So, the 31-year-old technician may have to play an even bigger role if the Steel Roses are to succeed again.
Besides these experienced campaigners, some very promising young talents could also shine at the Asian Cup. Angel City FC teenager Casey Phair, who became the youngest player to feature at a FIFA World Cup three years ago, will definitely be one to watch as she makes her tournament debut for South Korea. Reigning AFC Women’s Youth Player of the Year Choe Il-son, who also won the Golden Ball in North Korea’s successful under-20 World Cup campaign, could be another youngster who lights up the tournament.
Last but not least, 24-year-old forward Manisha Kalyan will play a big part in India’s World Cup qualification bid. She is one of just two foreign-based players in their squad, having recently joined Peruvian club Alianza Lima and previously played in Europe. Her Asian Cup debut on home soil did not go to plan, so she will be raring to make an impression this time around.
Predictions
While Japan and Australia can be regarded as the two strongest teams on paper, the nature of the draw makes this tournament very tough to call. Even before their potential showstopping semi-final, we could be treated to a huge quarter-final between expected Group A runners-up South Korea and the Group B runners-up, most likely China or North Korea.
Nadeshiko Japan might just have enough to edge their rivals and claim a third title, while China could make the most of a favourable route to reach the final. Australia and North Korea should seal direct qualification to the World Cup by reaching the semi-finals, while South Korea will be good enough for an inter-confederation play-off spot at the very least. It is anyone’s guess for the remaining play-off place, but Vietnam could be a good shout.
How to watch?
The 2026 Women’s Asian Cup is being broadcast on Paramount+ in Australia, with free-to-air coverage of the Matildas’ fixtures on Network 10.
International viewers can watch games for free on the Asian Cup YouTube channel.