Iran in Pot 4 of AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026

With Sydney set to crown the champion on March 21, 2026, the Harbour City serves as a fitting backdrop for the Final Draw on July 29 (Tuesday), as Australia gears up to stage the Continental showpiece from March 1.

Bangladesh, Chinese Taipei, North Korea, India, Iran, the Philippines, Uzbekistan and Vietnam joined hosts Australia, alongside the top three finishers from the AFC Women’s Asian Cup India 2022 --defending champion China, runner-up Korea Republic, and third-placed Japan, who all earned automatic qualification.

With the host guaranteed the top seed, the rest of the seedings --based on the latest FIFA Women’s World Ranking (as of June 12)-- and the corresponding pot allocations for the Final Draw are as follows:

Pot 1: Australia (15), Japan (7), DPR Korea (9)

Pot 2: China (17), Korea Republic (21), Vietnam (37)

Pot 3: the Philippines (41), Chinese Taipei (42), Uzbekistan (51)

Pot 4: Iran (68), India (70), Bangladesh (128)

Australia will feature in the opening match at the Perth Stadium on March 1, while the ultimate showdown for the coveted trophy will take place at Sydney’s Stadium Australia on March 21.