Ahmedabad has been selected as one of the seven cities to host the AFC (Asian Football Confederation) U-17 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026 Qualifiers from Nov 22 to 30, at The Arena, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) in a statement.
The 38 countries participating in the qualifiers will be drawn into seven groups (three groups of six teams and four groups of five teams each). The group winners will qualify for the AFC U-17 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026, joining nine participating AFC teams in the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025, who have already directly qualified for the tournament.
On India getting the hosting rights, AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey said, “It is a matter of great pride for India to be one of the hosts, and I am particularly pleased to see Ahmedabad take centre stage. This is an excellent chance for our boys to perform on home soil, and for the city to showcase its capability to host elite international competitions.”
He added, “I sincerely hope that our boys qualify for the AFC U-17 Asian Cup, which serves as the gateway to the FIFA U-17 World Cup, and take another important step forward in Indian football’s longterm development pathway.”
Minister of sports and youth affairs Harsh Sanghavi said, “This is a proud moment for Indian football and Gujarat. It’s an opportunity for the state to showcase its love for the beautiful game, its world class hospitality, and our rising football culture. Hosting a prestigious event such as this will position Ahmedabad on the Asian football map.”
