Jakarta. FIFA will stage its first ASEAN Cup later this month, but the inaugural tournament will not be exclusively Southeast Asian, with Bangladesh and Pakistan joining the top division and Hong Kong hosting the second-tier competition.

The explanation is straightforward: FIFA has designated Bangladesh, Pakistan and Hong Kong as guest participants alongside all 11 ASEAN member countries.

The inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup will feature 14 national teams competing in two divisions in Indonesia and Hong Kong from Sept. 24 to Oct. 5.

Bangladesh and Pakistan will compete in Division 1 alongside six Southeast Asian teams, while Hong Kong will serve as both a guest participant and host of Division 2.

FIFA initially invited China and India to compete in Division 1, expanding the inaugural tournament beyond Southeast Asia. The two countries, together with Indonesia, have a combined population of more than 3 billion.

However, neither China nor India ultimately remained in the tournament.

The South China Morning Post reported in July that China had withdrawn from the FIFA ASEAN Cup and would instead participate in a five-team tournament featuring matches against Uzbekistan, North Korea, Tajikistan and Palestine as part of its preparations for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia. Pakistan subsequently took China's place in Division 1.

India had accepted FIFA's invitation and was initially drawn into Group A, but later withdrew because of a scheduling conflict with a high-profile friendly against five-time world champion Brazil.

The Times of India reported that the All India Football Federation (AIFF) opted for the Brazil friendly after the two commitments clashed. India is scheduled to face Brazil in Kolkata on Oct. 3, during the same international window as the FIFA ASEAN Cup.

Bangladesh subsequently replaced India in Group A.

Australia, despite being a member of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF), opted not to participate in the tournament.

"The tournament will allow the sides to compete in a structured format designed to provide high-quality international football, strengthen regional connections and create new opportunities for fans to engage with the game," FIFA said on its website.

Two Divisions, Two Champions
The tournament is divided into two tiers, with eight teams competing in Division 1 in Indonesia from Sept. 25 to Oct. 5.

Group A will feature host Indonesia, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Singapore, with matches played at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta.

Group B comprises Vietnam, Pakistan, Thailand and the Philippines, with matches staged at Si Jalak Harupat Stadium in Bandung, West Java.

Division 2 will be held in Hong Kong from Sept. 24 to Oct. 3.

Hong Kong, Laos and Brunei Darussalam will compete in Group A at Kai Tak Stadium, while Cambodia, Myanmar and Timor-Leste make up Group B at Mong Kok Stadium.

The competition will produce two champions, one from each division.

Teams will play a single round-robin within their respective groups, with the two group winners advancing to the final of each division.

In Division 1, the two group runners-up will also meet in a third-place playoff.

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