Detailed format of the 2026 ASEAN Cup

The 2026 ASEAN Cup is scheduled to run from July 24 to August 26, with the participation of 10 Southeast Asian national teams.

The ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) continues to maintain the same format used since 2018, creating a balanced schedule that combines professional considerations with home-ground advantages for the teams.

According to the tournament regulations, the nine highest-ranked teams in the region qualify directly for the finals, while the next two teams must play a two-legged playoff to determine the final spot. This year, Timor-Leste defeated Brunei 6-1 on aggregate over two legs to complete the list of 10 participating teams. After that, the teams are divided into two groups of five each.

In the group stage, teams compete in a single round-robin format. Each team plays a total of four matches—two at home and two away—instead of being hosted in a single country as in many other regional tournaments. The top two teams from each group advance to the semifinals. The home-and-away format is considered to increase the tournament's appeal, as fans in multiple countries have the opportunity to watch their teams play at home.

Both the semifinals and the final are played over two legs. The winner of Group A faces the runner-up of Group B, while the winner of Group B meets the runner-up of Group A. The team that wins after two legs advances to the final to compete for the championship. If the aggregate score is tied after two legs, extra time and penalties will be used if necessary. Notably, the away goals rule continues to be not applied, as in the most recent ASEAN Cup.

A new feature of the 2026 ASEAN Cup is its timing. Instead of being held at the end of the year as traditionally done, the tournament has been moved to July and August to avoid conflicts with national league schedules and club-level competitions. Additionally, the tournament is officially named the ASEAN Hyundai Cup 2026 for the first time, marking a milestone in celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Southeast Asian football championship.