2027 AFC Asian Cup qualification – third round
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Dates | 25 March 2025 – 31 March 2026 |
| Teams | 24 (from 1 confederation) |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 59 |
| Goals scored | 177 (3 per match) |
| Attendance | 588,757 (9,979 per match) |
| Top scorer | Nasser Al-Gahwashi (10 goals) |
← 2023 2031 →
All statistics correct as of 19 November 2025. | |
The third round[note 1] of 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualification is played from 25 March 2025 to 31 March 2026.[1]
Format
A total of 24 teams (3 best ranked losing teams from the first round + 18 third and fourth-placed teams from the second round + 3 winners from the play-off round) will participate in the third round to compete for the final six slots in the 2027 AFC Asian Cup.[2]
The 24 teams will be divided into six groups of four teams to play home-and-away round-robin matches. Only the group winners of each group will qualify for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, where they will join the 18 teams which qualified directly from the second round.[3]
Qualified teams
Best-ranked losing teams from the first round:
Teams finishing third or fourth in their respective second round groups:
Play-off round winners:
Seeding
The draw was held on 9 December 2024 at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia,[8] at 15:00 (UTC+8). The teams were drawn into six groups of four teams each, with the seeding based on the November 2024 FIFA World Rankings.
The national teams which qualified are presented in bold.
| Pot 1 | Pot 2 | Pot 3 | Pot 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Schedule
The schedule of each matchday is as follows.[10][11]
| Matchday | Dates |
|---|---|
| Matchday 1 | 25 March 2025 |
| Matchday 2 | 10 June 2025 |
| Matchday 3 | 9 October 2025 |
| Matchday 4 | 14 October 2025 |
| Matchday 5 | 18–19 November 2025, 26 March 2026 (Group E only) |
| Matchday 6 | 31 March 2026 |
Rules
The winner of each group will qualify for the final tournament, joining the 18 teams that qualified directly (including the host).
- Tiebreakers
The teams are ranked according to points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss). If tied on points, tiebreakers will be applied in the following order (Regulations Article 7.3):[12]
- Points in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
- Goal difference in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
- Goals scored in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
- If more than two teams are tied, and after applying criteria 1 to 3, a subset of teams is still tied, criteria 1 to 3 are reapplied exclusively to this subset of teams;
- Goal difference in all group matches;
- Goals scored in all group matches;
- Penalty shoot-out if only two teams are tied and they meet in the last round of the group;
- Disciplinary points (yellow card = 1 point, red card as a result of two yellow cards = 3 points, direct red card = 3 points, yellow card followed by direct red card = 4 points);
- Drawing of lots.
Groups
Group A
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tajikistan | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 2 | +11 | 13 | 2027 AFC Asian Cup | 31 Mar | 1–0 | 2–0 | ||
| 2 | Philippines | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 5 | +10 | 13 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 4–1 | |||
| 3 | Timor-Leste (E) | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 13 | −10 | 3 | 0–5 | 1–4 | 1–0 | |||
| 4 | Maldives (E) | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 12 | −11 | 0 | 0–3 | 0–2 | 31 Mar |
Updated to match(es) played on 18 November 2025. Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(E) Eliminated
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(E) Eliminated
| Philippines | 4–1 | Maldives |
|---|---|---|
|
Report Report (AFC) |
|
| Timor-Leste | 1–0 | Maldives |
|---|---|---|
|
Report Report (AFC) |
Territory Rugby League Stadium, Darwin (Australia)[note 3]
Attendance: 1,048
Referee: Songkran Bunmeekiart (Thailand)
| Philippines | 2–2 | Tajikistan |
|---|---|---|
|
Report Report (AFC) |
|
| Timor-Leste | 1–4 | Philippines |
|---|---|---|
|
Report Report (AFC) |
|
Territory Rugby League Stadium, Darwin (Australia)[note 3]
Attendance: 1,356
Referee: Yudi Nurcahya (Indonesia)
| Tajikistan | 2–0 | Maldives |
|---|---|---|
|
Report Report (AFC) |
| Philippines | 3–1 | Timor-Leste |
|---|---|---|
|
Report Report (AFC) |
|
| Maldives | 0–3 | Tajikistan |
|---|---|---|
| Report Report (AFC) |
|
| Timor-Leste | 0–5 | Tajikistan |
|---|---|---|
| Report Report (AFC) |
|
Territory Rugby League Stadium, Darwin (Australia)[note 3]
Attendance: 538
Referee: Adam Kersey (Australia)
| Maldives | 0–2 | Philippines |
|---|---|---|
| Report Report (AFC) |
|
Group B
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lebanon | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 0 | +14 | 13 | 2027 AFC Asian Cup | 31 Mar | 5–0 | 2–0 | ||
| 2 | Yemen | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 1 | +17 | 11 | 0–0 | 9–0 | 7–1 | |||
| 3 | Brunei (E) | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 17 | −15 | 3 | 0–3 | 0–2 | 2–1 | |||
| 4 | Bhutan (E) | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 18 | −16 | 1 | 0–4 | 0–0 | 31 Mar |
Updated to match(es) played on 18 November 2025. Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(E) Eliminated
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(E) Eliminated
| Lebanon | 5–0 | Brunei |
|---|---|---|
| Report Report (AFC) |
Attendance: 282
Referee: Venkatesh Ramachandran (India)
| Brunei | 2–1 | Bhutan |
|---|---|---|
|
Report Report (AFC) |
|
Attendance: 3,158
Referee: Mongkolchai Pechsri (Thailand)
| Yemen | 0–0 | Lebanon |
|---|---|---|
| Report Report (AFC) |
Attendance: 1,512
Referee: Mahmood Al-Majarafi (Oman)
| Brunei | 0–2 | Yemen |
|---|---|---|
| Report Report (AFC) |
|
Attendance: 1,529
Referee: Ngô Duy Lân (Vietnam)
| Yemen | 9–0 | Brunei |
|---|---|---|
|
Report Report (AFC) |
Attendance: 755
Referee: Meder Tayçiev (Kyrgyzstan)
| Yemen | 7–1 | Bhutan |
|---|---|---|
|
Report Report (AFC) |
|
Ali Sabah Al-Salem Stadium, Farwaniya (Kuwait)[note 5]
Attendance: 350
Referee: Tam Ping Wun (Hong Kong)
Group C
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Singapore (Q) | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 4 | +3 | 11 | 2027 AFC Asian Cup | 0–0 | 31 Mar | 1–1 | ||
| 2 | Hong Kong (E) | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 6 | +1 | 8 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | |||
| 3 | Bangladesh (E) | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 7 | −1 | 5 | 1–2 | 3–4 | 1–0 | |||
| 4 | India (E) | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 5 | −3 | 2 | 1–2 | 31 Mar | 0–0 |
Updated to match(es) played on 18 November 2025. Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(E) Eliminated; (Q) Qualified for the phase indicated
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(E) Eliminated; (Q) Qualified for the phase indicated
| Bangladesh | 1–2 | Singapore |
|---|---|---|
|
Report Report (AFC) |
|
| Hong Kong | 1–1 | Bangladesh |
|---|---|---|
| Report Report (AFC) |
|
| India | 1–2 | Singapore |
|---|---|---|
|
Report Report (AFC) |
|
| Hong Kong | 1–2 | Singapore |
|---|---|---|
|
Report Report (AFC) |
| Bangladesh | 1–0 | India |
|---|---|---|
|
Report Report (AFC) |
Group D
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Turkmenistan | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 5 | +5 | 12[a] | 2027 AFC Asian Cup | 3–1 | 2–1 | 3–1 | ||
| 2 | Thailand | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 4 | +10 | 12[a] | 31 Mar | 1–0 | 2–0 | |||
| 3 | Sri Lanka (E) | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 8 | −3 | 6 | 1–0 | 0–4 | 3–1 | |||
| 4 | Chinese Taipei (E) | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 16 | −12 | 0 | 1–2 | 1–6 | 31 Mar |
Updated to match(es) played on 18 November 2025. Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(E) Eliminated
Notes:
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(E) Eliminated
Notes:
| Chinese Taipei | 1–2 | Turkmenistan |
|---|---|---|
|
Report Report (AFC) |
|
| Sri Lanka | 3–1 | Chinese Taipei |
|---|---|---|
| Report Report (AFC) |
|
| Turkmenistan | 3–1 | Thailand |
|---|---|---|
|
Report Report (AFC) |
|
| Chinese Taipei | 1–6 | Thailand |
|---|---|---|
|
Report Report (AFC) |
|
| Turkmenistan | 2–1 | Sri Lanka |
|---|---|---|
| Report Report (AFC) |
|
| Sri Lanka | 0–4 | Thailand |
|---|---|---|
| Report Report (AFC) |
|
Attendance: 2,910
Referee: Sultan Mohamed Al Hammadi (United Arab Emirates)
| Turkmenistan | 3–1 | Chinese Taipei |
|---|---|---|
|
Report Report (AFC) |
|
Group E
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Syria (Q) | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 1 | +15 | 15 | 2027 AFC Asian Cup | 5–1 | 31 Mar | 2–0 | ||
| 2 | Myanmar (E) | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 9 | −5 | 6 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 1–0 | |||
| 3 | Afghanistan (E) | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | −2 | 2 | 0–1 | 26 Mar | 1–1 | |||
| 4 | Pakistan (E) | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 9 | −8 | 2 | 0–5 | 31 Mar | 0–0 |
Updated to match(es) played on 18 November 2025. Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(E) Eliminated; (Q) Qualified for the phase indicated
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(E) Eliminated; (Q) Qualified for the phase indicated
| Myanmar | 2–1 | Afghanistan |
|---|---|---|
|
Report Report (AFC) |
|
| Syria | 2–0 | Pakistan |
|---|---|---|
| Report Report (AFC) |
Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium, Hofuf (Saudi Arabia)[note 7]
Attendance: 1,217
Referee: Sivakorn Pu-Udom (Thailand)
| Myanmar | 1–0 | Pakistan |
|---|---|---|
|
Report Report (AFC) |
| Afghanistan | 0–1 | Syria |
|---|---|---|
| Report Report (AFC) |
|
Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium, Hofuf (Saudi Arabia)[note 8]
Attendance: 532
Referee: Yousif Saeed Hasan (Iraq)
| Syria | 5–1 | Myanmar |
|---|---|---|
|
Report Report (AFC) |
|
Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium, Hofuf (Saudi Arabia)[note 7]
Attendance: 198
Referee: Mohammad Mofeed (Jordan)
| Myanmar | 0–3 | Syria |
|---|---|---|
| Report Report (AFC) |
|
| Afghanistan | 1–1 | Pakistan |
|---|---|---|
|
Report Report (AFC) |
|
Ali Sabah Al-Salem Stadium, Farwaniya (Kuwait)[note 8]
Attendance: 750
Referee: Abdullo Davlatov (Tajikistan)
Group F
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Malaysia[a] | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 1 | +14 | 15 | 2027 AFC Asian Cup | 4–0[a] | 5–1 | 2–0[a] | ||
| 2 | Vietnam | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 5 | +6 | 12 | 31 Mar | 5–0 | 3–1 | |||
| 3 | Laos (E) | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 16 | −13 | 3 | 0–3 | 0–2 | 2–1 | |||
| 4 | Nepal (E) | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 9 | −7 | 0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 31 Mar |
Updated to match(es) played on 18 November 2025. Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(E) Eliminated
Notes:
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(E) Eliminated
Notes:
- ^ a b c On 26 September 2025, FIFA sanctioned the Football Association of Malaysia and seven players for using falsified eligibility documents. These players played in the match against Nepal and Vietnam, but no ruling has yet been made concerning the outcome of the two matches.[17]
| Vietnam | 5–0 | Laos |
|---|---|---|
|
Report Report (AFC) |
Attendance: 11,068
Referee: Yahya Al-Mulla (United Arab Emirates)
| Malaysia | 2–0[note 11] | Nepal |
|---|---|---|
|
Report Report (AFC) |
| Malaysia | 4–0[note 12] | Vietnam |
|---|---|---|
|
Report Report (AFC) |
| Vietnam | 3–1 | Nepal |
|---|---|---|
|
Report Report (AFC) |
|
| Nepal | 0–1 | Vietnam |
|---|---|---|
| Report Report (AFC) |
|
Thống Nhất Stadium, Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam)[note 14]
Attendance: 6,870
Referee: Mohamed Khaled (Bahrain)
| Malaysia | 5–1 | Laos |
|---|---|---|
| Report Report (AFC) |
|
Attendance: 18,901
Referee: Ahmed Eisa Darwish (United Arab Emirates)
| Nepal | 0–1 | Malaysia |
|---|---|---|
| Report Report (AFC) |
Faisal 56' |
Bukit Jalil National Stadium, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)[note 14]
Attendance: 14,243
Referee: Kim Dae-yong (South Korea)
| Laos | 0–2 | Vietnam |
|---|---|---|
| Report Report (AFC) |
|
Goalscorers
There have been 177 goals scored in 59 matches, for an average of 3 goals per match (as of 19 November 2025).
10 goals
8 goals
6 goals
4 goals
3 goals
2 goals
1 goal
- Mahboob Hanifi
- Omid Popalzay
- Hamza Choudhury
- Shamit Shome
- Dawa Kuenjung Tshering
- Kinga Wangchuk
- Nazirrudin Ismail
- Huang Wei-chieh
- Kuo Po-wei
- Everton Camargo
- Stefan Pereira
- Rahim Ali
- Lallianzuala Chhangte
- Chanthavixay Khounthoumphone
- Peter Phanthavong
- Damoth Thongkhamsavath
- Jihad Ayoub
- Omar Bugiel
- Zein Farran
- Mohamad Haidar
- Mohamad Safwan
- Walid Shour
- Arif Aiman
- João Figueiredo
- Hector Hevel
- Rodrigo Holgado
- Paulo Josué
- Ali Fasir
- Maung Maung Lwin
- Nanda Kyaw
- Manish Dangi
- Sanish Shrestha
- Etzaz Hussain
- Jarvey Gayoso
- Randy Schneider
- Shawal Anuar
- Dillon De Silva
- Leon Perera
- Adhavan Rajamohan
- Ahmed Waseem Razeek
- Alaa Al Dali
- Ahmad Faqa
- Sheriddin Boboev
- Vahdat Hanonov
- Ehson Panjshanbe
- Mukhammadzhon Rakhimov
- Manuchekhr Safarov
- Shahrom Samiev
- Parvizdzhon Umarbayev
- Chanathip Songkrasin
- Patrik Gustavsson
- Pansa Hemviboon
- Supachai Chaided
- Supachok Sarachat
- Thanawat Suengchitthawon
- Gali Freitas
- João Pedro
- João Rangel
- Meýlis Diniýew
- Ýazgylyç Gurbanow
- Rahman Myratberdiýew
- Yhlas Saparmämmedow
- Mihail Titow
- Châu Ngọc Quang
- Nguyễn Hai Long
- Nguyễn Quang Hải
- Nguyễn Tiến Linh
- Nguyễn Xuân Son
- Phạm Tuấn Hải
- Phạm Xuân Mạnh
- Omar Al-Golan
- Abdulwasea Al-Matari
- Harwan Al-Zubaidi
- Abdulaziz Masnom
- Adel Qasem
- Abdul Sabara
1 own goal
- Karma Chetrim (against Brunei)
- Huang Tzu-ming (against Thailand)
- Khammanh Thapaseuth (against Malaysia)
- Suman Shrestha (against Vietnam)
- Güýçmyrat Annagulyýew (against Sri Lanka)
Notes
- ^ Referred to as the final round
- ^ FIFA suspended Pakistan from all football activities on 6 February 2025 due to failing to adopt a version of the PFF constitution that had been approved by FIFA and AFC.[4][5] The PFF voted to approve the constitutional changes on 27 February 2025, and the suspension was lifted on 2 March 2025.[6][7]
- ^ a b c Timor-Leste played their home games outside the country, due to a lack of an available venue that meet FIFA standards.[13][14]
- ^ a b c Lebanon are required to play all their home matches at a neutral venue due to the ongoing Israel invasion of Lebanon
- ^ a b c Yemen are required to play their home matches at a neutral venue due to the ongoing Yemeni civil war.
- ^ a b Bhutan are required to play their home matches at a neutral venue, due to the Changlimithang Stadium in Thimphu failing to meet AFC standards.
- ^ a b c Syria played their home matches at a neutral venue due to the ongoing Syrian civil war.
- ^ a b Afghanistan played their home matches at a neutral venue due to the ongoing Afghan conflict.
- ^ Afghanistan planned to play their home match against Myanmar in Bangladesh on 18 November 2025, but Myanmar refused to play in Bangladesh.[15] The AFC determined to postpone the match to 26 March 2026.[16]
- ^ a b Thủ Dầu Một was incorporated to Ho Chi Minh City in 1 July 2025.
- ^ On 26 September 2025, FIFA sanctioned the Football Association of Malaysia and seven players for using falsified eligibility documents.[18] One player, Hector Hevel played in the match against Nepal, but no ruling has yet been made by AFC concerning the outcome of the match.
- ^ On 26 September 2025, FIFA sanctioned the Football Association of Malaysia and seven players for using falsified eligibility documents.[19] The seven players all played in the match against Vietnam, but no ruling has yet been made concerning the outcome of the match.
- ^ Match time was previously 19:30, but due to rain in Ho Chi Minh City, it was delayed for 30 minutes
- ^ a b c Stadiums in Nepal do not meet AFC requirements, thus Nepal are required to play their home matches at a neutral venue.[20][21]
- ^ The match between Laos v Vietnam was postponed to 19 November 2025 (originally 18 November 2025) due to reasons related to organization and travel of the host team.[22]
See also
References
- ^ "AFC Competitions Committee approves key decisions on reformatted competitions". the-AFC.com. AFC. 1 July 2023. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
- ^ "Asia's pathway to the FIFA World Cup 2026 and AFC Asian Cup™ 2027 confirmed". the-AFC. Retrieved 2025-02-02.
- ^ "AFC Competitions Committee approves key decisions on reformatted competitions". AFC. 1 July 2023. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
- ^ "FIFA suspends the Congolese Football Association and the Pakistan Football Federation". FIFA. 6 February 2025.
- ^ Lakhani, Faizan. "Pakistan ruled out of AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers due to Fifa suspension". thenews.com.pk. The News International. Retrieved 12 February 2025.
- ^ "Pakistan soccer approves steps wanted by FIFA to lift international suspension". Associated Press. 27 February 2025. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
- ^ Grafström, Mattias. "Lifting of the suspension of the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF)" (PDF). digitalhub.fifa.com. FIFA. Retrieved 2 March 2025.
- ^ "Asian Football Calendar (December 2024 – November 2025)". The AFC. Archived from the original on 4 December 2024. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
- ^ "FIFA Men's World Ranking – November 2024". fifa.com. FIFA. 28 November 2024. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
- ^ "AFC Competitions Calendar (Jul 2024 - Jun 2025)" (PDF). AFC.
- ^ "AFC Competitions Calendar (Jul 2025 - Jun 2026)" (PDF). AFC.
- ^ "AFC Asian Cup 2027 Saudi Arabia Competition Regulations" (PDF). AFC. 9 August 2024. p. 25.
- ^ "Darwin hosts high-stakes international soccer match for the first time". ABC News. 17 June 2025. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
- ^ "Football Federation of Timor-Leste President discusses new stadium with Gianni Infantino". Inside FIFA. FIFA. 21 June 2025. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
- ^ "Bangladesh to host Nepal after Myanmar refuse to play". New Age. 29 October 2025. Retrieved 27 November 2025.
- ^ "AFC Asian Cup - Qualifiers - Final Round: MD5 Preview". Asian Football Confederation. 17 November 2025. Retrieved 27 November 2025.
- ^ "FIFA sanctions Football Association of Malaysia and seven players". FIFA. Retrieved 28 September 2025.
- ^ "FIFA sanctions Football Association of Malaysia and seven players". FIFA. Retrieved 28 September 2025.
- ^ "FIFA sanctions Football Association of Malaysia and seven players". FIFA. Retrieved 28 September 2025.
- ^ "Nepal mượn sân Thống Nhất đá vòng loại Asian Cup". Vnexpress. 10 September 2025.
- ^ "Bukit Jalil to host Malaysia's 'away' clash with Nepal". NST Online. 16 September 2025.
- ^ "Change the schedule of the match between Laos and Vietnam". vietnam.vn. Znews. 12 November 2025. Retrieved 18 November 2025.