ASEAN Cup 2026: Changing the date, improving the quality?

The ASEAN Cup 2026 is predicted to undergo a significant transformation following the decision to change its timing, moving from the usual end of the year to the summer.

The Vietnamese national team will defend their ASEAN Cup title in 2026 next summer - Photo: NGUYEN KHANH

According to the Southeast Asian Football Federation (AFF), the group stage of the ASEAN Cup 2026 will feature 10 teams and will take place from July 24 to August 8, following a round-robin format within the region. The knockout rounds (two-legged) will begin on August 15 and conclude on August 26.

The necessary change

In Southeast Asia, the trend of naturalizing players and sending them abroad to play is gradually gaining dominance. However, the ASEAN Cup used to take place at the end of the year. Because it doesn't fall within FIFA Days, clubs have the right to refuse to release their players.

Therefore, for many consecutive seasons, the ASEAN Cup has failed to attract the best stars. A prime example is the 2024 ASEAN Cup, where Indonesia – a team boasting a quality roster of naturalized players – had to "tighten its belt" and field a B team. As a result, the Indonesian team was eliminated in the group stage.

The ASEAN Cup has therefore suffered a serious decline in quality, no longer serving as a platform to assess the capabilities of teams or the development of regional football. It could be said that the ASEAN Cup has become "too restrictive."

Easily overshadowed and oversaturated.

However, the ASEAN Cup 2026 will undergo a significant change as the AFF has decided to hold the tournament in the summer. This is the time when European and Asian football leagues are on their mid-season break. Therefore, players can represent their national teams without being constrained by club schedules. Holding the ASEAN Cup 2026 in the summer will also be an opportunity for the tournament to attract the biggest stars of Southeast Asian football.

The Indonesian national team is probably the happiest with this news, as they can now summon their full squad of naturalized stars to aim for their first-ever championship title. The ASEAN Cup 2026 promises to be the most exciting and high-quality tournament in many years.

Competing in such a competitive environment is an opportunity for regional football to improve its level. It is also a chance for experts to gain the most comprehensive and accurate understanding of the development of Southeast Asian football.

This change has received support from many member federations in the region. However, a major concern regarding the change to the ASEAN Cup is that because the tournament takes place in even-numbered years, years with the Euro or World Cup, the ASEAN Cup could easily be overshadowed due to audience saturation after a world-class tournament.

The ASEAN Cup 2026 will maintain its format.

According to the AFF announcement, the ASEAN Cup 2026 will only change in terms of timing and will retain the same format. Ten participating teams will be divided into two groups of five. Two play-off matches to determine the final qualifying spots for the ASEAN Cup 2026 group stage will be played in a two-legged format on June 2nd and 9th.

In the group stage, teams play two home and two away matches. From the semi-finals onwards, the home and away format will be applied.

HOAI DU

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/asean-cup-2026-doi-thoi-gian-nang-chat-luong-20251118104507799.htm