“The FIFA Council approved the introduction of the FIFA ASEAN Cup, first presented to the ASEAN Summit in Malaysia in October 2025 to a positive reception, with the first edition planned for September-October 2026,” FIFA said during its Council meeting in Zurich, Switzerland on Friday (Mar 20).
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said the event will be held during the FIFA international match window, meaning clubs worldwide must release their players to national teams. This allows each country to call up their best players who play abroad, unlike in past AFF Championships where many teams lost key stars, reports the Bangkok Post.
“In the FIFA ASEAN Cup, we will bring together ASEAN nations and the tournament will be a major success that will help develop national teams in ASEAN and support the growth of football in Southeast Asia,” said Infantino.
Southeast Asian countries are already gearing up for the ASEAN Championship - now also known as the ASEAN Hyundai Cup - from July 24 to Aug 26.
Organised by the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF), the biennial tournament is widely seen as the region’s premier football competition.
Thailand are in Group B alongside Malaysia, the Philippines, Myanmar and Laos, while Group A consists of defending champions Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore, Cambodia and the winners of a playoff between Timor-Leste and Brunei.