The 12 teams competing in the 2026 AFC U17 Women's Championship in China have been finalized.
On the evening of October 18, the final matches of the 2026 AFC U17 Women's Championship qualifiers concluded, confirming 8 teams to join the 4 AFC representatives who already qualified: North Korea, Japan, South Korea, and host China. The final tournament next year will feature 12 teams.
In Group A, the Philippines defeated Malaysia 4-0 in the last round to secure their spot with a perfect 9 points.
Lebanon topped Group B, delivering an explosive second half to beat the Islamic Republic of Iran 2-0, earning a full 7 points and qualifying for the final tournament for the first time.
In Group C, Myanmar won 1-0 against Indonesia, officially returning to the final tournament after their sole appearance in 2009.
Vietnam's U17 women's team also secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Hong Kong (China), advancing from Group D with the maximum 6 points after two matches.
Australia confirmed their status at the finals for the fourth consecutive time with a commanding 11-0 win over Singapore, closing Group E with a perfect six points.
Thailand continued their excellent record of participating in every World Cup by leading Group F after a 12-0 win over Nepal, along with a 17-0 victory against Turkmenistan.
India, who first participated in 2005, staged a comeback to defeat Uzbekistan 2-1 and claim the top spot in Group G, having also beaten Kyrgyz Republic by the same score.
Chinese Taipei secured their first continental appearance since 2015 with a 5-0 win over Bangladesh, earning first place in Group H for the East Asian side.
The draw for the 10th AFC U17 Women's Championship is scheduled for February 12, 2026, with the tournament set to take place from April 30 to May 17.