Why the AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup Is Moving to an Annual Format
The Malaysia U-17 women's football team has officially finished their run in the AFC U-17 Women's Asian Cup China 2027 qualifiers. Their final match took place on 11 October 2026 . A tough run in Group E Malaysia had the home-ground advantage as the host for Group E. All matches were held at the MP…
The Malaysia U-17 women's football team has officially finished their run in the AFC U-17 Women's Asian Cup China 2027 qualifiers. Their final match took place on 11 October 2026 .
A tough run in Group E
Malaysia had the home-ground advantage as the host for Group E. All matches were held at the MP Selayang Stadium in Selayang .
Between 5 October and 11 October 2026, our girls went head-to-head against India, Syria, and Iraq in a round-robin format . By the end of the tournament, Malaysia walked away with two wins and one loss, earning a total of six points .
How they performed
The team started strong on 5 October with a tight 1-0 win against Syria. They kept the momentum going on 8 October with a dominant 4-0 victory over Iraq .
However, in their final match on 11 October, the team faced a tough challenge against India and unfortunately lost 4-0 . India finished at the top of the group with nine points, securing their spot in the next stage .
What's next?
The winners of each group will head to Suzhou, China, for the AFC U-17 Women's Asian Cup, which runs from 31 March to 17 April 2027 .
The tournament has shifted from a biennial event to an annual one starting in 2026 to better align with the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup . Fans can also look forward to a bigger tournament, as the number of participating teams has increased from 8 to 12 .
