Asian Qualifiers in Turmoil: 9-Point Teams Miss Out as Three Powerhouses Face Elimination — China Not Completely Safe

The next U17 Asian Cup will take place in August next year, hosted by Saudi Arabia, maintaining the 16-team final tournament format. Due to AFC’s new qualification structure, nine nations—Qatar, Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, North Korea, Japan, Tajikistan, UAE, and Indonesia—have already secured direct entry thanks to their participation in this year’s U17 World Cup. This leaves only seven remaining slots to be determined through the qualification stage.

This qualification cycle features 38 teams divided into seven groups. After three rounds, no team has yet mathematically clinched qualification—but a large number have already been eliminated from contention. Based on the latest group standings, a total of 12 teams—East Timor, Brunei, Nepal, Northern Mariana Islands, Cambodia, Guam, Macau, Chinese Taipei, Bhutan, Philippines, Maldives, and Afghanistan—are officially out of the running for a spot in the final tournament.

Meanwhile, in three of the groups, six teams—China, Bangladesh, Yemen, Laos, Vietnam, and Malaysia—have each started with three straight wins and stand on 9 points. However, since only the group winners advance, even a perfect 9-point record does not guarantee qualification. These tight races are likely to be decided only in the final round.

As the host of Group A, China has been unstoppable, delivering three emphatic victories: 4–0 against Bahrain, 14–0 against East Timor, and 12–0 against Brunei. With 30 goals scored and zero conceded, China has demonstrated complete dominance on both offense and defense.

Interestingly, China’s biggest rival for the top spot may not be Bahrain—but Bangladesh. Ranked as a Pot-2 team, Bangladesh have also claimed three wins in three matches, and notably, have maintained clean sheets in every game. Although China holds the advantage in goal difference, Bangladesh’s steady rise and strong defensive discipline have made them a serious threat.

According to the schedule, China will face Sri Lanka at 7:30 PM this Friday as they push for a perfect qualifying record. Bangladesh, meanwhile, face Bahrain—and any slip-up from Bangladesh would be a major boost for China’s advancement prospects.

The remaining four groups, each consisting of five teams, present far more chaotic scenarios. Group E, in particular, stands out as a “group of death,” featuring three regional heavyweights—Australia, Jordan, and Iraq—but only one will qualify, meaning two major contenders are guaranteed to be eliminated. A similar situation exists in Group C, where Malaysia and Vietnam must battle for a single qualification spot, ensuring at least one strong side will miss the final tournament.