The third round[note 1] of 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualification will be played from 25 March 2025 to 31 March 2026.[1]
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Dates | 25 March 2025 – 31 March 2026 |
| Teams | 24 (from 1 confederation) |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 12 |
| Goals scored | 27 (2.25 per match) |
| Attendance | 85,636 (7,136 per match) |
| Top scorer(s) |  Malek Fakhro Nguyễn Văn Vĩ(2 goals each) |
← 2023 2031 →
All statistics correct as of 25 March 2025. | |
Format
editA total of 24 teams (3 best ranked losing teams from the first round + 18 third and fourth-placed teams from the second round + 3 winners from the play-off round) will participate in the third round to compete for the final six slots in the 2027 AFC Asian Cup.[2]
The 24 teams will be divided into six groups of four teams to play home-and-away round-robin matches. Only the group winners of each group will qualify for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, where they will join the 18 teams which qualified directly from the second round.[1]
Qualified teams
editBest-ranked losing teams from the first round:
Teams finishing third or fourth in their respective second round groups:
Play-off round winners:
Seeding
editThe draw was held on 9 December 2024 at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia,[7] at 15:00 (UTC+8). The teams were drawn into six groups of four teams each, with the seeding based on the November 2024 FIFA World Rankings.
| Pot 1 | Pot 2 | Pot 3 | Pot 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Schedule
editThe schedule of each matchday is as follows.[9][10]
| Matchday | Dates |
|---|---|
| Matchday 1 | 25 March 2025 |
| Matchday 2 | 10 June 2025 |
| Matchday 3 | 9 October 2025 |
| Matchday 4 | 14 October 2025 |
| Matchday 5 | 18 November 2025 |
| Matchday 6 | 31 March 2026 |
Groups
editThe winner of each group will qualify for the final tournament, joining the 18 teams that qualified directly (including the host).
- Tiebreakers
The teams are ranked according to points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss). If tied on points, tiebreakers will be applied in the following order (Regulations Article 7.3):[11]
- Points in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
- Goal difference in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
- Goals scored in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
- If more than two teams are tied, and after applying criteria 1 to 3, a subset of teams is still tied, criteria 1 to 3 are reapplied exclusively to this subset of teams;
- Goal difference in all group matches;
- Goals scored in all group matches;
- Penalty shoot-out if only two teams are tied and they meet in the last round of the group;
- Disciplinary points (yellow card = 1 point, red card as a result of two yellow cards = 3 points, direct red card = 3 points, yellow card followed by direct red card = 4 points);
- Drawing of lots.
Group A
edit
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | 
|
|
|
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Philippines
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 3 | 2027 AFC Asian Cup | — | 10 Jun | 14 Oct | 4–1 | |
| 2 | Tajikistan
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 3 | 31 Mar | — | 1–0 | 9 Oct | ||
| 3 | Timor-Leste
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | −1 | 0 | 9 Oct | 18 Nov | — | 10 Jun | ||
| 4 | Maldives
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | −3 | 0 | 18 Nov | 14 Oct | 31 Mar | — |
| Philippines | 4–1 | Maldives |
|---|---|---|
|
Report Report (AFC) |
|
Group B
edit
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|
|
|
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lebanon
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | +5 | 3 | 2027 AFC Asian Cup | — | 9 Oct | 31 Mar | 5–0 | |
| 2 | Bhutan
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[a] | 14 Oct | — | 0–0 | 31 Mar | ||
| 3 | Yemen
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[a] | 10 Jun | 18 Nov | — | 14 Oct | ||
| 4 | Brunei
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | −5 | 0 | 18 Nov | 10 Jun | 9 Oct | — |
Updated to match(es) played on 25 March 2025. Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
Notes:
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
Notes:
| Lebanon | 5–0 | Brunei |
|---|---|---|
| Report Report (AFC) |
Attendance: 282
Referee: Venikatesh Ramachandran (India)
Group C
edit
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | 
|
|
|
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | India
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[a] | 2027 AFC Asian Cup | — | 31 Mar | 0–0 | 9 Oct | |
| 2 | Hong Kong
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[a] | 10 Jun | — | 14 Oct | 18 Nov | ||
| 3 | Bangladesh
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[a] | 18 Nov | 9 Oct | — | 10 Jun | ||
| 4 | Singapore
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[a] | 14 Oct | 0–0 | 31 Mar | — |
Updated to match(es) played on 25 March 2025. Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
Notes:
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
Notes:
Group D
edit
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | 
|
|
|
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Turkmenistan
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 3 | 2027 AFC Asian Cup | — | 10 Jun | 18 Nov | 14 Oct | |
| 2 | Thailand
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 3 | 31 Mar | — | 9 Oct | 1–0 | ||
| 3 | Chinese Taipei
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −1 | 0 | 1–2 | 14 Oct | — | 31 Mar | ||
| 4 | Sri Lanka
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | −1 | 0 | 9 Oct | 18 Nov | 10 Jun | — |
Group E
edit
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | 
|
|
|
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Syria
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 3 | 2027 AFC Asian Cup | — | 9 Oct | 31 Mar | 2–0 | |
| 2 | Myanmar
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 3 | 14 Oct | — | 2–1 | 31 Mar | ||
| 3 | Afghanistan
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −1 | 0 | 10 Jun | 18 Nov | — | 14 Oct | ||
| 4 | Pakistan
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | −2 | 0 | 18 Nov | 10 Jun | 9 Oct | — |
| Myanmar | 2–1 | Afghanistan |
|---|---|---|
|
Report Report (AFC) |
Popalzay  14' |
| Syria | 2–0 | Pakistan |
|---|---|---|
| Report Report (AFC) |
Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium, Hofuf (Saudi Arabia)[note 6]
Attendance: 1,217
Referee: Sivakorn Pu-Udom (Thailand)
Group F
edit
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|
|
|
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vietnam
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | +5 | 3 | 2027 AFC Asian Cup | — | 31 Mar | 9 Oct | 5–0 | |
| 2 | Malaysia
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 3 | 10 Jun | — | 2–0 | 14 Oct | ||
| 3 | Nepal
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | −2 | 0 | 14 Oct | 18 Nov | — | 31 Mar | ||
| 4 | Laos
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | −5 | 0 | 18 Nov | 9 Oct | 10 Jun | — |
| Vietnam | 5–0 | Laos |
|---|---|---|
|
Report Report (AFC) |
| Malaysia | 2–0 | Nepal |
|---|---|---|
|
Report Report (AFC) |
Goalscorers
editThere have been 27 goals scored in 12 matches, for an average of 2.25 goals per match (as of 25 March 2025).
2 goals
1 goal
Omid Popalzay
Ange Kouamé
Husseyn Chakroun- Mohamad Haidar
- Samy Merheg
La'Vere Corbin-Ong- Hector Hevel
Ali Fasir
Maung Maung Lwin- Than Paing
Bjørn Martin Kristensen- Sandro Reyes
- Randy Schneider
- Jefferson Tabinas
Omar Al Somah- Ahmad Faqa
Vahdat Hanonov
Patrik Gustavsson
Ýazgylyç Gurbanow- Elman Tagaýew
Châu Ngọc Quang- Nguyễn Hai Long
- Nguyễn Quang Hải
Notes
edit- ^ Referred as the final round
- ^ FIFA suspended Pakistan from all football activities on 6 February 2025 due to failing to adopt a version of the PFF constitution that had been approved by FIFA and AFC.[3][4] The PFF voted to approve the constitutional changes on 27 February, and the suspension was lifted on 2 March.[5][6]
- ^ a b c Timor-Leste will play their home games outside the country, due to the National Stadium in Dili failing to meet FIFA standards.
- ^ a b c Lebanon were required to play all their home matches at a neutral venue due to the ongoing Israel–Hezbollah conflict.
- ^ a b c Yemen will be required to play their home matches at a neutral venue due to the ongoing Yemeni civil war.
- ^ a b c Syria played their home matches at a neutral venue due to the ongoing Syrian civil war.
- ^ a b c Afghanistan played their home matches at a neutral venue due to the ongoing Afghan conflict.
References
edit- ^ a b "AFC Competitions Committee approves key decisions on reformatted competitions". AFC. 1 July 2023. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
- ^ "Asia's pathway to the FIFA World Cup 2026 and AFC Asian Cup™ 2027 confirmed". the-AFC. Retrieved 2025-02-02.
- ^ "FIFA suspends the Congolese Football Association and the Pakistan Football Federation". FIFA. 6 February 2025.
- ^ Lakhani, Faizan. "Pakistan ruled out of AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers due to Fifa suspension". thenews.com.pk. The News International. Retrieved 12 February 2025.
- ^ "Pakistan soccer approves steps wanted by FIFA to lift international suspension". Associated Press. 27 February 2025. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
- ^ Grafström, Mattias. "Lifting of the suspension of the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF)" (PDF). digitalhub.fifa.com. FIFA. Retrieved 2 March 2025.
- ^ "Asian Football Calendar (December 2024 – November 2025)". The AFC. Archived from the original on 4 December 2024. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
- ^ "FIFA Men's World Ranking – November 2024". fifa.com. FIFA. 28 November 2024. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
- ^ "AFC Competitions Calendar (Jul 2024 - Jun 2025)" (PDF). AFC.
- ^ "AFC Competitions Calendar (Jul 2025 - Jun 2026)" (PDF). AFC.
- ^ "AFC Asian Cup 2027 Saudi Arabia Competition Regulations" (PDF). AFC. 9 August 2024. p. 25.