There's news for Central Asian football - now the CAFA tournament is becoming not just a regular "regional championship," but a direct qualifier.
The Asian Football Confederation Competition Committee recommended important reforms for youth football in January 2026 (at a meeting in Jeddah): the separate "continental qualification" format for the AFC U-17 Asian Cup will be abolished, and qualifications will be determined through regional federation competitions. That is, whoever is stronger in CAFA - the continental field approaches that level.
What will the order be now?
- The size of the final stage will not change: the Asian Cup final will consist of 16 teams.
- The biggest news: vouchers will be divided into 8 "East" and 8 "West" quotas, and then distributed by region.
- Three spots have been allocated for CAFA in the West Zone - this means that those who make it to the top three in the CAFA U17 Championship will qualify directly for the Asian Cup final.
The full picture of quotas is also clear:
- East Asian Football Federation - 4
- ASEAN Football Federation - 4
- West Asian Football Federation - 4
- CAFA - 3
- South Asian Football Federation - 1
(Interesting point: the host country participates automatically, and this itself is included in the regional quota.)
What does this mean, especially for Uzbekistan?
The absolute truth: now every CAFA match will be played not in a "friendly tournament" atmosphere, but in a mini-final atmosphere. Because the referral will be decided here.
The good thing is that CAFA has been given 3 quotas, which is a great opportunity for Central Asia: there is competition in the region, but the quota is also significant. Therefore, with proper preparation, proper selection, and discipline, the path to reaching the Asian Cup final in the 2028 cycle is quite clear.
In short: CAFA is no longer an "additional tournament" - it's the door to the Asian stage. The door is open, but the key is in the square.
Read “Zamin” on Telegram!
