2027 AFC U20 Asian Cup Draw Results: Indonesia is placed in the same group as Australia and Malaysia

Sunday, 31 May 2026 | 11:00

Author: Respaty Gilang

Pelatih Timnas Indonesia U-20 Nova Arianto (tengah) memberikan arahan kepada pemainnya saat pemusatan latihan di Stadion Gelora 10 November, Surabaya.
Source: AntaraNews

Summary

1. Indonesia U20 National Team is drawn into Group H for the 2027 AFC U20 Asian Cup qualifiers, grouped together with Australia, Malaysia and Laos.

2. Nicknamed Garuda Muda, the team will begin their qualifying campaign with a match against Malaysia on 31 August 2026.

3. Nova Arianto has targeted for Indonesia to qualify for the final tournament as group winners, in order to build a clear path to the 2027 U20 World Cup.

Indonesia U20 National Team faces a tough challenge in the AFC U20 Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers, after the draw results placed Garuda Muda in Group H alongside defending champions Australia, Malaysia, and host nation Laos.

The draw ceremony held by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) at AFC House, Kuala Lumpur, placed Indonesia into one of the groups projected to deliver fiercely contested matches. With defending title holders Australia in the same pool, fighting for a ticket to the final tournament is confirmed to be far from straightforward.

Based on the official schedule published by the AFC, Indonesia will open their qualifying campaign against regional rivals Malaysia on 31 August 2026.

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Next, the squad managed by Nova Arianto is scheduled to face Laos on 3 September, before playing their decisive final group fixture against Australia on 6 September.

This qualifying round holds critical importance: only the 8 group winners and 7 best runner-up teams will advance to the 2027 AFC U20 Asian Cup final tournament hosted in China, scheduled to run from 24 March to 10 April next year.

Additionally, the AFC has also rolled out a new promotion and relegation system for this youth age group competition.

Under the updated regulations, the team that finishes bottom of each qualifying group will be relegated to the Development Phase. Meanwhile, the highest performing teams from the development phase will earn promotion entry to the next edition of the qualifiers.

Before shifting focus to the continental qualifying stage, the Indonesia U20 National Team will first compete at the 2026 ASEAN U19 Boys' Championship, which will take place in Medan, North Sumatra from 1 to 13 June.

As both tournament hosts and defending champions, Garuda Muda are drawn into Group A alongside Vietnam, Timor Leste, and Myanmar.

Indonesia will kick off the tournament against Myanmar, then face Timor Leste, before closing their group stage matches against Vietnam.

Indonesia National Team U20 head coach Nova Arianto has previously confirmed that the squad's primary target is to qualify for the 2027 AFC U20 Asian Cup final tournament as group winners.

This mission carries major significance, as the 2027 AFC U20 Asian Cup acts as the official main qualification pathway for the 2027 FIFA U20 World Cup which will be co-hosted by Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan.

Supported by the current pool of promising young players in the squad, Garuda Muda is expected to compete against these formidable opponents, achieve their target of reaching the continental Asian stage, and open up opportunities to progress to the global level.

Indonesia U20 National Team Fixtures for 2027 AFC U20 Asian Cup Qualifiers:

31 August 2026
• Indonesia vs Malaysia

3 September 2026
• Laos vs Indonesia

6 September 2026
• Australia vs Indonesia

Quick Answer

2027 AFC U20 Asian Cup Qualifiers Draw: Indonesia Grouped With Australia, Malaysia & Laos

Indonesia U20 National Team has been drawn into Group H for the 2027 AFC U20 Asian Cup qualifiers, alongside Australia, Malaysia, and host Laos. The team will open qualifying against Malaysia on 31 August 2026, with head coach Nova Arianto targeting top group spot.

Indonesia U20 is placed in Group H with Australia, Malaysia and Laos for 2027 AFC U20 Asian Cup qualifiers
Qualifying matches will run from 31 August to 6 September 2026
Head coach Nova Arianto targets finishing as Group H winners
This tournament acts as the official qualification pathway for the 2027 FIFA U20 World Cup

Indonesia U20 National Team has been drawn into Group H for the 2027 AFC U20 Asian Cup qualifiers, grouped with defending champions Australia, Malaysia, and host nation Laos following the official AFC draw ceremony held in Kuala Lumpur.

Qualifying Match Schedule

Garuda Muda will begin their continental qualifying campaign on 31 August 2026 with an opening fixture against regional rivals Malaysia. The squad will then face host Laos on 3 September, before closing the group stage with a decisive match against Australia on 6 September 2026.

31 August 2026: Indonesia vs Malaysia
3 September 2026: Laos vs Indonesia
6 September 2026: Australia vs Indonesia

Tournament Qualification Rules

Only the 8 group winners and 7 best performing runner-up teams will advance to the 2027 AFC U20 Asian Cup final tournament, hosted in China between 24 March and 10 April 2027. This edition also introduces a new promotion and relegation system, with bottom placed qualifying teams moving to the Development Phase for future editions.

Team Objectives

Head coach Nova Arianto has confirmed the squad's primary objective is to finish top of Group H. Securing first place will not only guarantee qualification for the continental final tournament, but also establish a clear path for progression to the 2027 FIFA U20 World Cup, for which this Asian Cup acts as the official AFC qualification route.

Prior to the Asian Cup qualifiers, Indonesia U20 will first compete as hosts and defending champions at the 2026 ASEAN U19 Boys' Championship in Medan, North Sumatra, running from 1 to 13 June 2026.