Young Matildas' 2026 AFC U-20 Qualifier Rivals Set

The CommBank Young Matildas have been drawn in Group C of the AFC U-20 Women's Asian Cup Thailand 2026™ Qualifiers running from 2-10 August 2025.

Conducted on Monday afternoon at AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, the draw saw 33 nations divided into eight groups with seven groups of four teams and one group of five teams.

As reigning bronze medallists from the 2024 edition of the tournament, Australia was drawn from Pot 1 alongside Tajikistan from the Hosts pot, Chinese Taipei from Pot 2 and Palestine from Pot 3.

To book their berth in the Finals in Thailand next year, Alex Epakis' U-20s side will need to navigate their way to the top two positions of the group as the eight group winners and three best runners-up will advance.

Australia will open their qualifiers against Group C host nation Tajikistan on Wednesday, 6 August before taking on Palestine on Friday, 8 August 2025. The CommBank Young Matildas will round off their qualifiers on Sunday, 10 August 2025 with a final fixture against Chinese Taipei with all group play held at Pamir Stadium, Dushanbe.

Epakis said: "Group C offers a variety of challenges, with each opponent bringing something different to the table. We know from experience that no match in qualifying is easy so we will prepare thoroughly and stay fully focused for every game."

"Now that we know our group opponents and that we will be playing in Tajikistan, we are excited to embrace these tests. Our players and staff are committed to approaching each fixture with intensity and professionalism, ensuring we perform at the highest standard every time we step onto the pitch.

"Our primary focus remains firmly on our own preparation and development as a team. We believe that by prioritising our own game, we will put ourselves in the best position to succeed.

"Ultimately, our success will come down to how well we execute our game plan and adapt to any challenge thrown our way," Epakis concluded.

The AFC U-20 Women's Asian Cup Thailand 2026™ will take place from 1 - 18 April 2026 and serve as the qualification tournament for the FIFA Women's World Cup Poland 2026™ from 5 - 27 September 2026.