Indian football team likely to participate in inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026
India are likely to receive an invitation for the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026
The Indian Football Team are likely to participate in the upcoming inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026. There are reports that the Indian team, alongside China, are likely to receive an official invitation to participate in the tournament.
This tournament was previously organised by the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF), but recently the FIFA president, Gianni Infantino, announced the launch of the new tournament at the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, and the inaugural winners are likely to receive prize money of US$1 million.
According to reports, the tournament is likely to be played in the international window between September 21 and October 6, 2026, but the details regarding that are still not clear.
Tournament details
According to reports, the FIFA ASEAN Cup is expected to feature 14 teams across a two-division format. Division 1 consists of eight teams split into two groups, while Division 2 may feature six teams divided into two groups. And these teams will likely be placed based on FIFA rankings.
Indonesia are expected to host Division 1 group matches, while Division 2 matches are reportedly set to take place in Hong Kong.
The tournament format will not include semi-finals. Instead, the group winners in each division will face off in a final, while the runners-up will play for third place. Each team is expected to play between two and four matches.
Every team is reportedly set to receive a guaranteed US$125,000 participation fee, with additional bonuses for wins and draws.
The Division 1 champions may earn US$1 million, while the Division 2 winners may receive US$300,000, with the total prize pool expected to be around US$4 million.
From India’s perspective, the tournament could provide the Blue Tigers with valuable international exposure and more competitive matches against tough opponents going forward.
How the divisions might be divided
The divisions are expected to be determined based on the FIFA rankings, meaning that the higher-ranked nations will likely compete in Division 1, while the lower-ranked sides may feature in Division 2. As per reports, Division 1 is expected to have eight teams, while Division 2 could consist of six teams.
The participating nations may include Myanmar, Cambodia, Brunei, Laos, Timor-Leste, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, India, Thailand, China, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines, so the divisions may likely look like this based on current FIFA Rankings:
Division 1:
- Thailand- Rank 93
- China- Rank 94
- Vietnam- Rank 99
- Indonesia- Rank 122
- Philippines- Rank 135
- India- Rank 136
- Malaysia- Rank 138
- Singapore- Rank 147
Division 2:
- Hong Kong- Rank 155
- Myanmar- Rank 158
- Cambodia- Rank 177
- Laos- Rank 185
- Brunei- Rank 193
- Timor-Leste- Rank 200
Are India playing any tournament in the upcoming international window?
India are all set to participate in the Unity Cup 2026 in this Internation window.
What is the prize pool for the FIFA ASEAN Cup?
The total prize pool is expected to be around US$4 million.
For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.
Ayushman Sharma is a sports enthusiast with a deep love for football, following the game closely since 2018. A hardcore supporter of NorthEast United FC and FC Barcelona, he has also gained valuable on-ground experience by volunteering during FIFA World Cup Qualifiers in Guwahati.