The 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup qualifiers will take place from September 3 to 9, 2025. Major Southeast Asian football teams, including Thailand U23, Indonesia U23, and Malaysia U23, are making their final preparations to secure a spot in the finals in Saudi Arabia.

Thailand U23: Determined spirit and new faces

The team, led by coach Thawatchai Damrong-Ongtrakul, is actively training at Yamaoka Hanasaka Academy 1. During training sessions, the Thai coach focuses on refining the attacking and defensive systems, particularly finishing skills.

The team’s morale is very high, especially with the arrival of new faces. Forward Jehanafi Mama of PT Prachuap FC could not hide his excitement at being called up to the national team for the first time. He sees this as a great inspiration and hopes to motivate young people in rural areas.

“I am very happy and excited. I come from a rural area, and I want to inspire young people to believe that we can achieve the same,” Jehanafi shared.

Indonesia U23: Reinforcements from Europe

After finishing as runners-up in the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Championship, the team is rushing to prepare for the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup qualifiers. With the home advantage at Gelora Delta (Sidoarjo), coach Gerald Vanenburg’s team has big ambitions in Group J, which includes South Korea U23, Laos U23, and Macau U23.

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To strengthen the squad, the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) is planning to add several quality naturalized players from Europe. Five notable names that could be called up include: Dion Markx (center-back from TOP Oss, Netherlands) and Tim Geypens (left-back from FC Emmen, Netherlands). Both have now completed their naturalization procedures.

Additionally, they will have the services of Mathew Baker (versatile defender from Melbourne City, Australia) and Welber Jardim (central midfielder from U20 São Paulo, Brazil), talented young players who have previously represented various Indonesian youth national teams.

Malaysia U23: Relying on domestic strength

Notably, the squad called up for the 2026 qualifiers includes only two naturalized players: Gabriel Palmero and Fergus Tierney.

Malaysia U23 is one of the teams with the longest preparation period for the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup qualifiers. They started training early, played several friendlies, and even arrived in Thailand two weeks early to acclimatize to the pitches and weather.

However, despite thorough preparation, coach Nafuzi Zain and his team have many concerns.

In recent friendlies, Malaysia U23 lost both matches to Kuwait U23 with identical 0-1 scorelines. Their only victory was an 11-0 demolition of the Thai third-tier club Nonthaburi United, a result that does not reveal much about their true strength.

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Local experts are not optimistic about Malaysia’s chances of advancing (yellow jersey)

These results extend a disappointing run of form from the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Championship, where “The Young Tigers” were eliminated in the group stage, managing only a single victory against Brunei.

Given the current situation, Malaysian experts are not optimistic about the home team’s chances of progressing. Placed in Group F alongside hosts Thailand

Yamaoka Hanasaka Academy 1

Yamaoka Hanasaka Academy 1 is a fictional cultural institution, likely from a story or game, as no verifiable historical record of it exists. It appears to be a place of learning or artistic pursuit, possibly centered around traditional Japanese arts given the name’s connotations. Without a real-world counterpart, its specific history and significance remain within its narrative context.

Gelora Delta

Gelora Delta is a multi-purpose sports stadium and complex located in Sidoarjo, East Java, Indonesia. It was officially opened in 2007 and primarily serves as the home stadium for the local football club, Persida Sidoarjo. The name “Delta” references the region’s geography, as Sidoarjo is part of the Brantas River delta.

PT Prachuap FC

PT Prachuap FC is a professional football club based in Prachuap Khiri Khan, Thailand, which was founded in 2009. The club gained national prominence after earning promotion to the Thai League 1, the country’s top division, for the first time in 2017.

TOP Oss

TOP Oss is a Dutch professional football club based in Oss, North Brabant, founded in 1928. Historically, it has spent most of its existence in the country’s second tier, the Eerste Divisie, and is known for being a community-focused club that develops local talent.

FC Emmen

FC Emmen is a professional football club based in Emmen, the Netherlands, founded in 1925. The club has a long history in the Dutch football league system, famously playing its home matches at the uniquely named De Oude Meerdijk stadium. After decades in the lower tiers, it achieved a significant milestone by earning promotion to the Eredivisie, the country’s top division, for the first time in 2018.

Melbourne City

Melbourne City is the capital of the Australian state of Victoria, founded in 1835 and developed rapidly during the 1850s Victorian gold rush. It is renowned for its vibrant cultural scene, featuring extensive laneway art, major sporting events, and a diverse mix of Victorian and contemporary architecture.

U20 São Paulo

“U20 São Paulo” refers to the under-20 team of São Paulo Futebol Clube, one of Brazil’s most successful and popular football clubs. The youth academy has a storied history of developing world-class talents, such as Kaká and Casemiro, who began their careers there before achieving international success. It represents the club’s strong commitment to nurturing future stars and maintaining its competitive legacy.

Nonthaburi United

“Nonthaburi United” is a professional football club based in Nonthaburi Province, Thailand. It was founded in 2015 and has competed in the Thai League system, representing the historic province on the banks of the Chao Phraya River.