latestnews

The AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026™ has concluded in spectacular fashion tonight, with Japan crowned continental champions following a 1-0 victory over Australia in front of a sold-out crowd of 74,397 fans at Stadium Australia in Sydney.

The Final brought the curtain down on a historic and record-breaking edition of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup™, with 355,528 fans attending matches across Perth, the Gold Coast and Sydney - making the 2026 tournament the most attended Women’s Asian Cup in history and a landmark moment for women’s football across Asia.

That extraordinary support was reflected in a series of attendance records that fell throughout the competition. Tonight’s Final now stands as the highest-attended match in tournament history, after the record was first broken on Opening Night when 44,379 fans packed the stands for Australia v Philippines, before being surpassed by 60,279 for the Matildas’ clash with Korea Republic. The competition also set a new record for the highest attendance at a match featuring two non-host nations, with that mark broken twice during the tournament before reaching 17,367 for the Korea Republic v Japan Semi Final.

Over 21 days, the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026™ delivered unforgettable moments on and off the pitch, showcasing the very best of football while capturing the imagination of fans across the region. Passionate crowds packed five of the nation’s best stadiums, creating electric atmospheres and demonstrating the extraordinary momentum behind the women’s game.

The tournament also determined six nations who will represent AFC at the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027™, with Australia, Japan, China PR, Korea Republic, Philippines and Korea DPR securing direct qualification as the tournament’s top six teams.

This edition also marked a series of historic firsts that elevated the tournament to new heights. The AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026™ introduced WAVEMAKER, the first bespoke Official Match Ball in the tournament’s history, unveiled Naara as the competition’s first-ever official mascot, debuted That’s How We Win as its first Official Tournament Anthem, and saw Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology implemented from the Group Stage for the first time. The largest-ever panel of match officials in Women’s Asian Cup history was also appointed, with 45 referees and officials from 20 Member Associations overseeing matches throughout the tournament.

Off the pitch, fans were welcomed into vibrant fan zones at each venue, where interactive experiences, community activations and the tournament’s innovative Health Hubs created festival-like environments around matchdays, reflecting the tournament’s ambition to deliver impact beyond the game.

The tournament also set a new benchmark for major event entertainment. Global star Audrey Nuna delivered a spectacular Opening Ceremony performance in Perth, while Australian powerhouse ZIPPORAH debuted the Official Tournament Anthem. Fans were also treated to a powerful International Women’s Day performance from chart-topping singer Dami Im, before ARIA Award-winning artist G Flip headlined tonight’s Closing Ceremony ahead of the Final.

The bold Dream Fearless tournament brand - incorporating Indigenous design elements created in collaboration with First Nations artists Shauna Hill and Grace Amidy - celebrated the cultural depth of Australia while reflecting the unity and diversity of women’s football across Asia.

A team of 1,200 dedicated volunteers were central to the success of the event, welcoming teams and fans from across the continent and helping deliver a world-class experience across all host cities. In a powerful reflection of the of both the tournament and the communities that embraced it, 55 per cent of the volunteer workforce came from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds, with 85 nationalities represented across the volunteer pool.

With a new champion crowned, six nations now qualified for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027™, and record crowds celebrating the women’s game across three Australian host cities, the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026™ closes as the most successful and impactful edition in the tournament’s proud history.