India has been confirmed as one of the seven host nations for the AFC U17 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026 Qualifiers, which are set to take place from November 22 to 30, 2025. All the matches assigned to India will be held at The Arena in Ahmedabad. The official draw for the qualifiers will be conducted on August 7, 2025.
A total of 38 teams will take part in the qualification stage. They will be divided into seven groups—three groups will consist of six teams, while the remaining four will have five teams each. The top team from each group will earn a spot in the AFC U17 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026. These qualifiers will also help shape the competition field for the FIFA U17 World Cup Qatar 2025, with nine AFC teams already having secured direct qualification.
AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey expressed his delight over India being selected as one of the hosts. He said, “It is an honour for India to be one of the venues for the AFC U17 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026 Qualifiers, and I’m especially happy to see Ahmedabad hosting the matches. This is a fantastic chance for our young players to compete at home, and for Ahmedabad to demonstrate its ability to organise high-level international football. I hope our team qualifies for the AFC U17 Asian Cup, a key stepping stone to the FIFA U17 World Cup, and continues progressing on our national football development journey.”
Gujarat’s Sports and Youth Affairs Minister, Harsh Sanghavi, also shared his enthusiasm. “This is a proud occasion for both Indian football and the state of Gujarat. It’s a great platform to display our passion for football, our hospitality, and the growing sports culture in Gujarat. Hosting such a high-profile tournament will put Ahmedabad firmly on the map of Asian football.”
The 38 participating teams have been split into six seeding pots based on their past performances in the last three editions of the tournament (2025, 2023, and 2018). India has been placed in Pot 2, and, as a host, will also be included in a special “Hosts Pot” for the draw to ensure that all hosts are placed in separate groups. Alongside India, the other hosts—China PR, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, Kyrgyz Republic, and Jordan—will not be drawn into the same group.
Pots for the AFC U17 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026 Qualifiers Draw:
Pot 1: Australia, Yemen, IR Iran, Oman, Thailand
Pot 2: Afghanistan, Malaysia, Iraq, Bangladesh, Laos, Kuwait
Pot 3: Singapore, Bahrain, Philippines, Turkmenistan, Palestine
Pot 4: Syria, Mongolia, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei, Brunei Darussalam
Pot 5: Nepal, Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Maldives, Timor-Leste, Lebanon
Pot 6: Macau, Sri Lanka, Pakistan
Hosts Pot: China PR, Vietnam, Thailand, India, Myanmar, Kyrgyz Republic, Jordan.
Qualifiers Dates: November 22-30, 2025
Venue: The Arena, Ahmedabad
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