Pakistan’s path to the AFC U17 Asian Cup 2026 will officially commence this November with the qualifiers, following the national U17 team’s placement in Pot 6 for the qualifying draw, which is set to take place on August 7 by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
The AFC U17 Asian Cup Qualifiers are scheduled to occur from November 22 to 30 across seven host nations: India, Thailand, China, Vietnam, Myanmar, Kyrgyz Republic, and Jordan. A total of 43 nations will compete, and the draw will establish the teams that will participate in each of the seven qualifying groups.
Pakistan’s position in the lowest seeding pot—Pot 6—indicates that they are likely to encounter formidable competition in the group stage of the AFC U17 Qualifiers, as higher-ranked teams from Pots 1 through 5 will constitute the majority of their group. Pot 6 also includes Macau and Sri Lanka, the only other nations seeded at the same level.
The tournament format will feature three groups of six teams and four groups of five teams. The group winners and the best-performing runners-up will qualify for the main event in 2026, where Asia’s premier youth teams will vie for continental honors.
Despite the challenging draw ahead, Pakistan’s involvement in the AFC U17 Qualifiers signifies a sustained effort by the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) to reintegrate the nation into regional and continental football arenas after years of administrative difficulties. This will mark Pakistan’s first participation in an AFC U17 qualifying campaign since 2018, which is already a promising development for the country.
As the draw nears, attention will focus on the teams that Pakistan will be grouped with, particularly considering the possibility of matches against formidable regional opponents. For Pakistan, the qualifiers signify both a challenge and a chance to demonstrate their capabilities on a larger platform after years of being overlooked.
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