HONG KONG: Pakistan start their FIFA ASEAN Cup campaign against Thailand on Sept 26 after being drawn in Group ‘B’ of Division One for the inaugural tournament, which will take place later this month with matches played in Indonesia and Hong Kong, organisers said on Thursday.
The 11 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and three guest sides — Hong Kong, Pakistan and Bangladesh — will play in two divisions from Sept 24 .
Eight teams will contest the top-tier Division 1 — hosts Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Bangladesh and Pakistan .
They will be split into two sections of four with the winners contesting the first FIFA ASEAN Cup final on Oct 5 .
Pakistan have been placed in Group ‘B’ alongside Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam .
The Green Shirts face the Philippines on Sept 29 before their final group-stage fixture against Vietnam on Oct 2 .
Pakistan entered the tournament after China withdrew from the inaugural edition to focus on preparations for the 2027 Asian Cup and 2030 World Cup qualifiers.
Pakistan will enter the competition on a high after winning the Diamond Jubilee International Football Tournament in the Maldives earlier this year, their first standalone international title since 1952.
The second-tier Division 2 will be hosted by Hong Kong and also involve Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Timor-Leste, split into two three-team sections with the winners advancing to a final on Oct 3 .
“The FIFA ASEAN Cup was launched to provide national teams with meaningful competitive opportunities,” said FIFA president Gianni Infantino. “The tournament will strengthen football ties across Southeast Asia.”
Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2026
