New Delhi [India], July 29 (ANI): The draw for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026 will likely be carried out on the Sydney Town Hall on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at 14:30 IST, as per a press launch from AIFF.
India will likely be represented by coach Crispin Chettri and midfielder Sangita Basfore within the draw ceremony. Sangita, who scored a sensational brace in opposition to Thailand within the ultimate Qualifier, could have the privilege of being one of many three draw assistants alongside Australia’s Tameka Yallop and Korea Republic’s Jeon Yu-gyeong.
For the twenty first version of Asia’s largest girls’s nationwide workforce occasion, twelve groups will likely be divided into three teams of 4 every. India had been one of many eight groups that secured their place within the match by way of the qualifiers, becoming a member of hosts Australia, and the highest three finishers from the AFC Women’s Asian Cup India 2022 — China PR, Korea Republic, and Japan.
Scheduled to happen from March 1 to 21, 2026, the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026 will likely be staged throughout Sydney, Perth, and the Gold Coast, together with in stadiums that witnessed the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, because the match returns Down Under for the primary time since 2006.
Runners-up in 1980 and 1983, India will make their first look within the match since 2003 after a historic qualification marketing campaign noticed the Blue Tigresses emerge as toppers of Group B of the Qualifiers, defeating Thailand, Iraq, Timor-Leste, and Mongolia earlier this month.
For the pot allocations for the Final Draw, the seeding relies on the newest FIFA Women’s World Ranking (as of June 12). India, ranked seventieth, are positioned in Pot 4, and will likely be drawn in opposition to both Australia, Japan, or DPR Korea from Pot 1, China, Korea Republic, or Vietnam from Pot 2, and Philippines, Chinese Taipei, or Uzbekistan from Pot 3.
The prime two sides from every group, together with the 2 greatest third-placed groups, will progress to the quarter-finals. The 4 quarter-final winners will qualify for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Brazil 2027. The dropping quarter-finalists will contest the play-offs for the 2 remaining direct spots allotted to the AFC for the World Cup. The two play-off losers could have one other probability of qualifying for Brazil by way of the inter-confederation play-offs.
As hosts, Australia will likely be designated as the highest seed and occupy place A1, the AIFF press launch added.
Pot allocations for the Final Draw (FIFA Rankings in brackets):
Pot 1: Australia (15), Japan (2), DPR Korea (9)Pot 2: China PR (17), Korea Republic (21), Vietnam (37)Pot 3: Philippines (41), Chinese Taipei (42), Uzbekistan (51)Pot 4: IR Iran (68), India (70), Bangladesh (128). (ANI)