The final of the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup is underway in Australia, pitting Japan against the host nation, Australia, in a match that also serves as a qualifier for both the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics.
The match is being played across multiple host cities in Australia – Perth, Gold Coast, and Sydney – as part of the 21st edition of the tournament, which began on March 1st and concludes today, March 21st. Australia secured its place in the final with a victory over South Korea, while Japan defeated the same opponent 4-1 in their semi-final match, setting up today’s championship contest.
This year’s Asian Cup is particularly significant as it represents the last time qualification for the FIFA Women’s World Cup will be directly linked to the tournament. Starting in 2031, a standalone qualification process will be implemented. The tournament is serving as a crucial step in determining Asian representation at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, with the eight quarter-finalists already securing spots in the subsequent AFC Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
China, the defending champions, were eliminated in the semi-finals by Australia, preventing them from retaining their title. The tournament has seen a total of 26 matches played, with 96 goals scored – an average of 3.69 goals per match – and an overall attendance of 284,017, averaging 10,924 spectators per game as of March 19th. Japan’s Riko Ueki currently leads all scorers with six goals.
The AFC Women’s Asian Cup was originally scheduled to be held in 2022, but was postponed to 2026. Australia was officially selected as the host nation by the AFC Women’s Football Committee on May 15, 2024.
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