The Asian Games football 2026 schedule features a 15-nation men’s under-23 tournament and a 16-nation women’s tournament, running from September 14 to October 3 across venues in Osaka, Toyota, Nagoya, Kariya, Gifu and Fukuroi, as part of the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026. This page covers the complete asian games football 2026 schedule — men’s and women’s groups, the full fixtures structure, venues, knockout rounds, and where to follow live scores and results.
Football has been a fixture of the Asian Games programme for decades, and the men’s competition is played as an AFC U-23 tournament with a small overage-player allowance, similar to the football event at the Olympics. With the asian games football 2026 groups now drawn for the men’s tournament, fans searching for football asian games 2026 fixtures, the asian games football points table, and knockout dates will find the full breakdown below.
Asian Games Football 2026 Schedule at a Glance
Here is the quick-reference asian games football 2026 schedule before the detailed breakdown.
| Tournament | Group Stage | Knockout Rounds | Final |
|---|---|---|---|
| Men’s (U-23) | September 15–26, 2026 | Quarter-finals Sept 27, semi-finals Sept 29, bronze match Oct 1 | October 3, 2026 (Toyota Stadium) |
| Women’s | September 14–20, 2026 | Quarter-finals Sept 21, semi-finals Sept 25, bronze match Sept 26 | September 27, 2026 |
Both tournaments run largely in parallel through the middle two weeks of the Games, which means fans following the asian games football 2026 schedule can catch men’s and women’s matches on the same days across multiple cities in the Aichi-Nagoya region.
Asian Games Football 2026 Venues
Football matches at the 2026 Asian Games are spread across seven stadiums in six cities. The men’s tournament uses venues in Osaka, Toyota, Nagoya and Kariya, with Toyota Stadium hosting the gold medal match. The women’s tournament is staged at Shizuoka Stadium in Fukuroi, Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Gifu Nagaragawa Stadium in Gifu, and shared venues in Nagoya and Kariya.
- Nagai Stadium, Osaka — men’s and women’s matches
- Toyota Stadium, Toyota — men’s matches, including the final
- CS Asset Minato Soccer Stadium & Wave Stadium, Kariya — men’s and women’s matches
- Gifu Nagaragawa Stadium, Gifu — women’s matches
- Shizuoka Stadium, Fukuroi — women’s matches
Asian Games Football 2026 Format: How the Competition Works
The men’s tournament is an AFC U-23 competition — every outfield player must be born on or after January 1, 2003, with each squad of 18-22 players allowed up to three older “overage” players, the same dispensation rule used at Olympic football. The asian games football 2026 groups see 15 nations split into three groups of four and one group of three, with the top two finishers from every group advancing to the quarter-finals regardless of group size.
The women’s tournament features 16 nations; its group draw had not been finalised at the time of writing and will be updated here once the Asian Football Confederation confirms it. Both tournaments follow a group stage into a straight knockout bracket — quarter-finals, semi-finals, a bronze medal match and a gold medal final.
Men’s Groups: Asian Games Football 2026
The men’s asian games football 2026 groups, as drawn, are as follows:
Group A
- Japan
- Thailand
- Kyrgyzstan
- Hong Kong
Group B
- China
- United Arab Emirates
- Iran
- North Korea
Group C
- Vietnam
- Uzbekistan
- Philippines
- Kuwait
Group D
- South Korea
- Saudi Arabia
- Qatar
Group D has only three teams, meaning South Korea, Saudi Arabia and Qatar each play one fewer group match than teams in Groups A, B and C. Defending champions South Korea, chasing a fourth consecutive men’s football gold, headline a tough group against Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
Women’s Groups: Asian Games Football 2026
The women’s tournament features 16 nations across the standard Asian Games football points table format of group stage plus knockout rounds, but the official group draw was still pending confirmation from the Asian Football Confederation at the time of writing. This section will be updated with the full group breakdown as soon as it is officially released — check back closer to the September 14 start of the women’s competition for the confirmed groups and fixtures.
Asian Games Football Points Table Format
Group standings in the asian games football 2026 schedule follow the standard football points system: three points for a win, one for a draw, and none for a defeat, with goal difference and head-to-head results used as tiebreakers. The top two teams in each group advance to the quarter-finals. A live, continuously updated asian games football points table will be added here once the group matches begin on September 14 (women’s) and September 15 (men’s).
Knockout Rounds: Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals and the Asian Games Football Final 2026
Once the group stage concludes, both tournaments move into a straight knockout bracket:
| Round | Men’s Date | Women’s Date |
|---|---|---|
| Quarter-finals | September 27 | September 21 |
| Semi-finals | September 29 | September 25 |
| Bronze medal match | October 1 | September 26 |
| Gold medal match (final) | October 3 (Toyota Stadium) | September 27 |
The men’s asian games football final 2026 on October 3 at Toyota Stadium is one of the closing marquee events of the entire Games, arriving on the same day as several other sports’ medal finals.
Teams to Watch at Asian Games Football 2026
South Korea head into the men’s asian games football 2026 schedule as defending champions, chasing an unprecedented fourth consecutive men’s football gold medal, but they have been drawn into a genuinely difficult Group D alongside Saudi Arabia and Qatar, two of West Asia’s strongest age-group sides. Japan, competing as hosts in Group A, and Uzbekistan, a consistent quarter-final threat in Group C, are also among the nations expected to push deep into the knockout rounds.
On the women’s side, Japan and China have traditionally been the dominant forces in Asian women’s football at the Games, and both are expected to be strong contenders again once the 16-team women’s group draw is confirmed. North Korea and South Korea round out the group of nations with realistic paths to the podium in this asian games football 2026 schedule.
Why India Isn’t Playing Football at the Asian Games 2026
Unlike most of KhelGossip’s Asian Games 2026 coverage, this page does not include India fixtures — both the Indian men’s and women’s national football teams qualified for Aichi-Nagoya on the field but were ruled out by India’s Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, which requires national teams in team sports to rank among the top eight in Asia to receive government clearance for a multi-sport Games. India’s men currently sit 26th in Asia and the women 13th, both short of the threshold, so neither squad has been deputed despite earning their spots through AFC competition. If that policy changes or an exception is granted before the Games, this page will be updated accordingly.
Where to Watch Asian Games Football 2026 Live
Sony Pictures Networks India holds the exclusive broadcast and streaming rights for the entire 20th Asian Games, including every football match, even without an Indian team competing. Fans can follow the complete asian games football 2026 schedule through these options:
- TV: Live telecast on Sony Sports Network channels.
- Streaming: Live streaming on the SonyLIV app and website for asian games football live score updates.
- Live results: Official standings, fixtures and the asian games football points table via the Asian Football Confederation and the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 organising committee.
Asian Games Football 2026 Schedule: FAQs
When does the Asian Games football 2026 schedule start?
The women’s tournament begins September 14 and the men’s tournament begins September 15, 2026, with both running through group stages into knockout rounds.
Where is football being played at the 2026 Asian Games?
Matches are held across seven stadiums in six cities: Osaka, Toyota, Nagoya, Kariya, Gifu and Fukuroi, with Toyota Stadium hosting the men’s final.
What are the men’s groups for Asian Games football 2026?
Group A: Japan, Thailand, Kyrgyzstan, Hong Kong. Group B: China, UAE, Iran, North Korea. Group C: Vietnam, Uzbekistan, Philippines, Kuwait. Group D: South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Qatar.
Is the men’s football tournament an under-23 event?
Yes. Players must be born on or after January 1, 2003, with each squad allowed up to three overage players, the same rule used at Olympic football.
When is the Asian Games football final 2026?
The women’s final is scheduled for September 27, 2026, and the men’s gold medal match follows on October 3, 2026 at Toyota Stadium.
Why isn’t India playing football at the Asian Games 2026?
Both Indian teams qualified on the field but were excluded by a government rule requiring team sports to rank in Asia’s top eight for Games clearance; India’s men (26th in Asia) and women (13th in Asia) both fall short of that threshold.
Where can I watch the Asian Games football 2026 schedule matches live?
Every match is available live on Sony Sports Network TV channels and via streaming on the SonyLIV app in India.
For the full multi-sport lineup, check the complete Asian Games 2026 India schedule, and see our coverage of the Asian Games Hockey 2026 Schedule and Asian Games 2026 Badminton Schedule for more of India’s own medal hopes at these Games.
Sources: Korea JoongAng Daily, Wikipedia, Outlook India.
