Tough group awaits India at AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup in China

India have been drawn in a challenging Group B alongside four-time champions Japan , Australia and debutants Lebanon for the AFC Under-17 Women’s Asian Cup 2026 , following the official draw held on Thursday.

The tournament will be hosted by China from May 1 to May 17 in the city of Suzhou , with matches scheduled at the Suzhou Sports Centre Stadium and the Suzhou Taihu Football Sports Centre. The championship will feature 12 teams from across Asia, divided into three groups of four.

India qualified for the tournament for the first time in 21 years after registering victories over Kyrgyz Republic and Uzbekistan in the qualification round. The Indian side will open their campaign against Australia, before facing Japan and Lebanon in the group stage.

Japan head into the tournament as one of the favourites, having finished runners-up in the 2024 edition. They are also former FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup champions (2014) and runners-up in 2010 and 2016, highlighting their strong pedigree at the youth level.

Australia, who were knocked out in the group stage of the 2024 edition, earned their place in the 2026 tournament after wins over Singapore and the Northern Mariana Islands. Lebanon will make their debut at the AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup, having qualified for their maiden appearance with victories over Kuwait and IR Iran.

In Group A, hosts China PR have been drawn alongside Thailand, Vietnam and Myanmar. Group C features DPR Korea, Korea Republic, Philippines and Chinese Taipei, making for a competitive lineup across all groups.

The top two teams from each group, along with the two best third-placed sides, will advance to the quarter-finals . The four semi-finalists will qualify for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Morocco 2026 , where DPR Korea are the reigning champions.

The AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup is Asia’s premier youth women’s football tournament and plays a crucial role in developing young talent while determining the continent’s representatives for the global stage.