Following the conclusion of the 2025 U17 Asia Cup qualifiers, all 16 teams have been confirmed. The top teams from each group include North Korea (Group A), Afghanistan (B), South Korea (C), Thailand (D), Uzbekistan (E), Japan (F), Australia (G), UAE (H), Yemen (I), and Tajikistan (J). Additionally, the top five second-place teams ­- China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Iran, and Oman - have earned spots in the tournament.

These 15 teams, along with host Saudi Arabia, will compete in the 2025 U17 Asia Cup, scheduled from April 3 to April 20, 2025.

The 16 teams will be divided into four seeded groups, based on their performance in the 2023 U17 Asia Cup. From this seeding, four groups will be drawn, and matches will kick off on April 3, 2025.

Notably, the top two teams from each group, upon reaching the quarterfinals, will automatically qualify for the 2025 U17 World Cup.

In March 2024, the U17 World Cup will see major changes, expanding the tournament to 48 teams, similar to the senior national team tournament. This expansion will increase opportunities for many teams aspiring to make it to the global youth stage.

The tournament will also become an annual event rather than biennial. Subsequently, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has confirmed that the top eight teams from the 2025 U17 Asia Cup will qualify for the FIFA U17 World Cup next year. With this change, U17 Vietnam can realistically dream of a spot in the World Cup.

Thien Binh