JAKARTA: Pakistan will participate in the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026, with 14 national teams set to compete in the new tournament from September 24 to October 5.
The tournament will be played in Indonesia’s Bandung and Jakarta, as well as Hong Kong.
The competition will feature all 11 ASEAN member countries along with three invited teams, including Pakistan.
Pakistan has been placed in Division One alongside Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Division Two will comprise host Hong Kong, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Timor-Leste.
The two divisions will be split into two groups, with teams competing against each other in a single round-robin format.
The group winners will advance to the final to compete for the title. The runners-up from the Division One groups will also play a third-place match in Indonesia.
According to FIFA, the tournament aims to provide national teams with competitive opportunities, promote football across the region and strengthen sporting ties among participating countries.
The inaugural ASEAN Cup is expected to provide Pakistan with an opportunity to compete against teams from Southeast Asia and further develop its international football exposure.
