To face host Hong Kong, China in a Group B opening league tie

Debutants India are among the 18-Asian teams that will vie for nine berths at the third edition of the Continent’s premier Women’s Futsal National Team Tournament that is slated to kick- off with the four Group Qualifiers coming Saturday, 11 January 2025. Other nations who will make a foray in the fast paced five-a- side tourney played over a two half of 20-minutes duration, includes six other debutant nations Australia, Iraq, Kyrgyz Republic, Myanmar, Palestine and the Philippines.

Incidentally this is the first time that a qualifying campaign is being held for the AFC Women’s Futsal Asian Cup, which saw IR Iran emerge as champions in both prior editions in 2015 and 2018.

The top two finishers of each group, together with the overall best-ranked third-placed team to be decided following the concluding match on Sunday, 19 January, will progress to the Finals and join hosts China PR and 2018’s top two, Islamic Republic of Iran and Japan, in their quest for Asian glory in May 2025.

The top three finishers at China 2025 will also seal their berths at the inaugural FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup 2025 to be hosted by the Philippines – who have automatically qualified.

Bahrain (FIFA Rank: 36) and Lebanon (29) will face off in the first match of the Group A Qualifiers as they clash at the Nonthaburi Stadium, Thailand at 4.30pm*. The West Asian duo both made their tournament debuts in 2018 and will aim to reach the Finals for a second consecutive edition. The second Group A tie of the day takes place at 7.30pm as reigning West Asian Football Federation (WAFF) Women’s Futsal Championship winners Iraq (53) take on Palestine (34); group hosts Thailand (6) – the highest-ranked team in Asia and champions of all five Southeast Asian Games to date – begin their qualifying campaign on 13 January against Palestine at 7.30pm.

Group B which will comprise of four teams following Pakistan’s withdrawal, will get underway on 15 January at the Among Rogo Sports Hall in Yogyakarta as Hong Kong, China (31) begin their journey to a third qualification against India (unranked) at 1pm. Quarter-finalists on their debut in 2018, hosts Indonesia (24) then log heads with the Kyrgyz Republic (69) at 4pm.

Group C also kicks off on January 11 with Australia (unranked) squaring off against Turkmenistan (38) at the Yunusobod Sports Complex in Tashkent, Uzbekistan as the latter eye a second qualification after their 2018 debut. That 6pm kick-off will be followed by a clash at 9pm between Kuwait (61) and the Philippines (59). Hosts Uzbekistan (18) swing into action on January 13 and the 2018 quarter-finalists will hope to get their bid for a third qualification off to a good start against the Philippines at 6pm.

The four team Group D will open with a thriller at Yangon’s MFF Futsal Indoor Stadium, Myanmar at 2pm on 15 January, between Chinese Taipei (25), who reached the last four on their debut in 2018, and Macau (45), who also made their maiden appearance at the last edition. Fresh off their triumph at the inaugural ASEAN Women's Futsal Championship in November 2024, Vietnam (11) are aiming to return to the Finals for a third time and build on their fourth-placed finish from 2018, with home side Myanmar (37) serving as their first qualifying hurdle at 5pm.

*All times indicated are in respective local times.

ALTERNATE HEADLINE Eighteen contenders including India ready for battle at WACFutsal2025 Qualifiers

Photo Cover: Nine qualifying teams will join last editions finalist IR Iran and Japan along with host China PR (Photo courtesy AFC)

Photo Above: Draws of WACFutsal2025 Qualifiers