Women’s Olympic draw to chart path for LA28 hopefuls

To take place at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the ceremony comprises a cast of eight that will vie for two direct berths at the ninth occasion of a women’s football competition at the Olympic Games.

 

Previously held as a standalone tournament, the seventh iteration—to run from April 19 to December 4, 2027—introduces a new format following the implementation of key reforms.

 

Starting from this edition, the Asian Qualifiers for the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament will be scheduled after the completion of each AFC Women’s Asian Cup™ as a single stage that involves the top eight finishers from that year.

 

As a result, the top eight from the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026™ will participate in the Los Angeles 2028 Asian Qualifiers.

The only four Asian teams to have ever qualified for the Olympics i.e. Australia, China PR, DPR Korea and Japan, will target a return, while the remaining quartet have an opportunity to make history.

 

The cast has been seeded into four pots based on the latest FIFA Women’s World Rankings from October 20, as follows:

 

Pot 1: Japan (5), DPR Korea (12)

Pot 2: Australia (15), Korea Republic (17)

Pot 3: China PR (18), Chinese Taipei (38)

Pot 4: Philippines (39), Uzbekistan (51)

 

The draw divides the hopefuls into two groups of four, and each will be contested in a home-and-away league format across six matchdays. Following the conclusion of the Group Stage, the winner of each group qualifies for Los Angeles 2028.

 

With the upcoming edition featuring a historic expansion from 12 to 16 teams, an indirect pathway is also available to the runners-up of each group. They will do battle in a home-and-away knockout format on February 28 (first leg) and March 4 (second leg), 2028 in the Asian Qualifiers Playoff, with the winner progressing to the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament Intercontinental Playoff against Argentina—the Copa America Femenina Ecuador 2025 third-place finisher—to play for a spot at Los Angeles 2028.

 

Tune in to the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament Los Angeles 2028 Asian Qualifiers Draw on Thursday, November 12, 2027, at 6pm (AEDT) here!