The lineup is complete: a summary of the 8 finalists in the AFC U23 Championship with the match schedule released, including one ASEAN nation.
On 14 January 2026, the teams advancing to the quarterfinals of the AFC U-23 Asian Cup 2026 in Saudi Arabia were confirmed after the group stage matches across all four groups concluded.
Vietnam emerged as the only ASEAN country to reach the quarterfinals, delivering an impressive performance by winning all three matches and topping Group A ahead of Jordan, host nation Saudi Arabia, and Kyrgyzstan. The eight teams advancing are as follows.
Group A - Vietnam (Group Winner), Jordan (Runner-up)
Group B - Japan (Group Winner), UAE (Runner-up)
Group C - Uzbekistan (Group Winner), South Korea (Runner-up)
Group D - Australia (Group Winner), China (Runner-up)
Meanwhile, Thailand’s U23 team ended their journey at the group stage with 2 points from 3 matches, tied with Iraq, and were eliminated. They are scheduled to return to Thailand, arriving at Suvarnabhumi International Airport around 07:30 on 16 January 2026.
18:30 Japan vs. Jordan
22:30 Vietnam vs. UAE
18:30 Uzbekistan vs. China
22:30 Australia vs. South Korea