Kuala Lumpur, 25 January 2026 – On January 24, President of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) Tran Quoc Tuan chaired a meeting of the AFC Competitions Committee, where many important directions related to the club competition system, national teams, and Asian youth football in the coming period were approved.
The AFC Competitions Committee meeting took place on January 24 under the chairmanship of Tran Quoc Tuan in his roles as a member of the FIFA Competitions Committee for national teams (2025–2029 term), member of the AFC Executive Committee, and Chairman of the AFC Competitions Committee.
At the meeting, the AFC Competitions Committee approved the competition regulations for club tournaments including the AFC Champions League Elite, AFC Champions League Two, and AFC Challenge League for the 2026–2027 season.
Notably, the AFC Champions League Elite is being studied for expansion from 24 to 32 teams. If this proposal is approved, many member associations, including Vietnam, will have greater opportunities to participate in Asia’s top club competition, thereby enhancing competitiveness and the commercial value of the tournament.
At youth national team level, the AFC Competitions Committee acknowledged FIFA’s decision to organize the FIFA U17 World Cup on an annual basis. Accordingly, AFC will adjust the organization of the AFC U17 Asian Cup qualifiers to align with the new calendar.
Under the agreed orientation, starting from the 2028 AFC U17 Asian Cup qualifiers (to be held in 2027), AFC will allocate places in the final tournament based on the results of regional competitions. Southeast Asia is expected to receive four slots for the AFC U17 Asian Cup finals. This allocation method is considered to ensure balance among regions while also contributing to improved professional quality, organization, and management of youth competitions.
In addition, AFC is studying adjustments to the AFC U20 Asian Cup qualifiers, potentially dividing them into two tiers based on team rankings. This tiered system is expected to narrow the gap in playing level within groups, reduce travel costs, and improve overall competition quality.
Another notable proposal is the creation of a new national team tournament called the AFC Nations League. The tournament is intended to provide more high-quality international matches during FIFA Days, thereby promoting the sustainable development of Asian football. Issues related to format, schedule, and participating teams will continue to be studied and consulted with member associations before any official announcement is made.
Thanh Nam
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