OFFICIAL: AFC Confirms Host for 2028 U23 Asian Cup, Vietnam Receives Great News

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Executive Committee has formally designated Japan as the host of the 2028 U23 Asian Cup Finals, which will double as the Asian qualification pathway for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Japan secured the hosting rights after a competitive bidding process against submissions from Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Qatar, and Uzbekistan as well as the UAE (which withdrew from the race earlier this year).

Although all final candidates met the minimum requirements, the AFC chose Japan due to its world-class infrastructure, low organizational risk, and alignment with the AFC's strategy of diversifying host locations and rotating major tournaments across Asia.

In addition to approving the regulations for the 2028 AFC U23 Asian Cup Japan, the AFC Executive Committee also endorsed a plan to adjust the roadmap for youth competitions in order to optimize hosting resources across the continent.

For Vietnamese football, the news that Japan will host the 2028 U23 Asian Cup is seen as a positive development. According to the AFC's seeding principles, the host nation is automatically placed in Pot 1. The remaining spots are determined based on performances in the three most recent U23 Asian Cups (2022, 2024, and 2026), with the latest edition carrying the highest weight.

Thanks to their third-place finish at the 2026 U23 Asian Cup and consistent results over recent years, Vietnam U23 is projected to rise to the top seed groupif they qualify for the finals. In that case, coach Kim Sang-sik's team could be placed in the same pot as leading Asian football nations such as Japan, South Korea, and Uzbekistan, thereby avoiding early clashes with strong opponents in the group stage.

However, this scenario will only become reality if Vietnam U23 secure a spot in the final tournament. Moreover, the seeding groups will also depend on the official identities of the qualified teams and the AFC's final regulations before the draw ceremony.

Finally, following the success of the 2024/25 and 2025/26 seasons, the AFC has officially converted Saudi Arabia's temporary hosting rights for the AFC Champions League Elite Finals into permanent status for three consecutive seasons: 2026/27, 2027/28, and 2028/29.