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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Sport
Jo Khan

Women’s Asian Cup 2026: all you need to know about the tournament in Australia

AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 mascot Naara
AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 mascot Naara. The tournament kicks off on Sunday when the Matildas play the Philippines in Perth. Photograph: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

What is the Women’s Asian Cup and when does it start?

The 2026 Women’s Asian Cup is a major continental football tournament. For Australia, the Asian Cup is second only to the World Cup in terms of prestige. The three-week tournament kicks off on Sunday at 5pm AWST (8pm AEDT) with the group A clash between hosts Australia and the Philippines in Perth. The knockout stage starts on Friday 13 March and wraps up on Saturday 21 March with the final at 8pm AEDT.

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