SINGAPORE: The Asean Championship, the jewel in the crown for South-East Asia’s national teams and now named the Asean Hyundai Cup 2026 after its new title partner, will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2026.
The region's top football tournament will take place next July and August when the 11 top national teams from across the region face off for the coveted title of Champions of Asean.
The 2026 edition will be the 16th time the member associations of the Asean Football Federation (AFF) have gone head-to-head to be crowned Champions of Asean in the biennial regional competition since the inaugural championship was played in Singapore in 1996.
Global smart mobility leader Hyundai Motor Company will sponsor the event for the first time as Vietnam attempts to retain the title they claimed last year with a 5-3 aggregate victory over Thailand in the final.
The Official Draw for the Asean Hyundai Cup 2026 will be conducted next year at a date to be announced, with the Play-offs to determine the final Group Stage line-up to be held on a home-and-away basis on June 2 and 9.
The 10-nation Group Stage will commence on July 24 and run until August 8, with matches to be played in a single round-robin format throughout the region. The home-and-away Knockout Rounds will commence on August 15 and conclude on August 26.
Major General Khiev Sameth, President of AFF, said: “The Asean Hyundai Cup stands as South-East Asia’s premier international football competition, and we are delighted to confirm the dates for its next edition as the tournament marks its 30th anniversary, which is a truly significant milestone in its evolution.
“We are deeply grateful to our supporters across the region who have demonstrated unwavering passion for and devotion to this tournament since its inception in 1996. We look forward to honouring the Hyundai Cup's distinguished heritage with millions of Asean fans along with our new title partner, Hyundai Motor Company, as we continue our journey to elevate the competition into a major international event and further strengthen its powerful legacy for the decades to come.”
Sunny Kim, President of Hyundai Motor Asia Pacific said: “At Hyundai, we believe football is more than just a sport, it’s a powerful platform that unites and empowers communities, reflecting our vision of ‘Progress for Humanity’.
"With over 26 years of global football legacy, Hyundai is proud to partner with the AFF as the title partner of the Hyundai Cup, marking the tournament’s 30th anniversary, a celebration of legacy and progress. With today’s announcement, Hyundai takes another step in its mission to create impact beyond mobility, using the power of football to unite and inspire millions across Asean.”
Stay up to date on the Hyundai Cup™ 2026 and other ASEAN United FC events at https://aseanutdfc.com/ and @aseanutdfc on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, X and LinkedIn.
ABOUT THE ASEAN HYUNDAI CUP
The Asean Championship, now named Asean Hyundai CupTM is the jewel in the crown of Asean football with 11 top Asean national teams battling for regional supremacy biennially.
Since the Asean Championship’s inception in 1996, it has grown from a two-week-long centralised tournament into a competition that is played in a home-or-away format in the Group Stage with home-and-away semifinal and final matches across South-East Asia over four weeks.
2026 marks the 30th anniversary of the competition and its 16th edition, underscoring the tournament’s enduring importance in Asean football and among its fans, with a new title partner, Hyundai Motor Company, driving the continued expansion of the region’s premier tournament during this new era.
Thailand won the inaugural Asean Championship in Singapore in 1996 with a 1-0 victory over Malaysia in the final, and the War Elephants are the competition's most successful team with seven titles following further victories in 2000, 2002, 2014, 2016, 2020 and 2022.
The Thais were denied an eighth championship in 2024 after they were beaten 5-3 on aggregate in the final by Vietnam, who claimed their third championship after victories in 2008 and 2018.
Singapore are the competition's second most successful team with four championships in 1998, 2004, 2007 and 2012, while Malaysia were crowned Asean champions in 2010.
Since its inauguration, the Asean Championship has widened its footprint and cultural impact significantly across South-East Asia, establishing itself as the region’s most watched and followed football event. In 2024, the tournament generated a cumulative 541.5 million TV and digital viewers across 2,595 broadcast hours throughout Asean markets. Social media engagement also reached unprecedented levels, with Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and X delivering 12.6 billion video views and 6 billion impressions, while combined online and print media coverage
achieved a potential reach of 19.6 billion, reflecting the tournament’s broad visibility and resonance across the region.
THE ASEAN HYUNDAI CUP 2026 COMPETITION FORMAT
The competition format includes a Qualifying Round Play-Off in which the two lowest ranking teams compete in home and away matches to secure a place with the nine other ASEAN national teams in the main group stage.
The 10 qualifying teams are drawn into two groups of five for the round-robin group stage matches, which will be played on a home or away basis. The top two finishers in each group will advance to the home-and-away semi-finals, with the winners of those ties facing off for the title in the final, which will also be played over two legs.
