OFFICIAL: Vietnam U17 women's team lands in a dream group for Asian qualifiers

Vietnam’s U17 women’s squad has been drawn into Group D, hosting their group stage matches for the 2027 AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup qualifiers, which significantly boosts their chances of securing a place in the final tournament.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) held the draw for the 2027 AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup qualifiers at its headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, determining the path for 30 teams vying for a spot in the finals. The result brought positive news for Vietnam's U17 women's team, as the host side landed in Group D alongside Kyrgyzstan, Palestine, and the Northern Mariana Islands, and also earned the right to host all matches in their group.

According to the schedule, the qualifiers will take place from October 5 to 11, 2026, with a centralized round-robin format. Playing on home soil is considered a significant advantage for Vietnam's U17 women's team in their bid for the top spot in the group. Considering the strength and international experience of the teams, Vietnam is seen as having a strong chance of securing a ticket to the finals if they maintain consistent performance.

In the remaining groups, several competitive battles are expected to be intense. Group A includes South Korea, Jordan, Tajikistan, and the UAE, while Group B features Indonesia, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain. Chinese Taipei, Iran, Laos, and Cambodia are in Group C. Groups E, F, G, and H respectively feature notable teams such as India, Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Uzbekistan.

The 2027 AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup qualifiers see a record 30 participating teams, an increase of two teams compared to the previous record in 2019. The teams are divided into eight groups, with six groups of four teams and two groups of three teams. Only the group winners will advance to the finals, making the competition fierce from the very first matches.

For the finals, four teams have already secured their spots based on their performance at the 2026 AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup: defending champions North Korea, runners-up Japan, and joint third-place finishers Australia and China. Thus, eight more slots will be available for teams advancing through the qualifiers to complete the 12-team lineup for the finals, which will be held in China from March 31 to April 17, 2027.

Beyond aiming for the continental title, the teams are also targeting qualification for the 2027 FIFA U17 Women's World Cup in Morocco. According to the regulations, the four highest-ranked teams at the 2027 AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup finals will represent Asia at the global youth football event. With the home advantage from the qualifiers, Vietnam's U17 women's team is expected to seize the opportunity to move closer to the goal of reaching Asia's premier youth women's football tournament.