Australia are one step closer to winning this year’s AFC Women’s Asian Cup, as they’re the first nation to officially secure a semi-finals berth. After going undefeated in Group A, the Matildas dispatched North Korea yesterday, and they’re waiting for the winner between China and Chinese Taipei.
Joe Montemurro’s side aims to win its first AFC Women’s Asian Cup since 2010, especially after finishing as the runner-up in two of the previous three editions. Given how they’ve fared in their home tournament, the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 odds give them the edge as one of the favourites to win it all.
However, we would be foolish to count out China, the winningest nation in tournament history, as their quest for title No. 10 is very much alive under the guidance of head coach Ante Milicic.
Today, SBOTOP has you covered with the latest AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 updates.
Australia secure first semi-finals berth
Australia started their AFC Women’s Asian Cup campaign with back-to-back wins against the Philippines (1-0) and Iran (4-0) before drawing 3-3 against South Korea. Because they finished with a slightly lower goal difference, the Matildas had to settle for the second spot in Group A.
In the quarter-finals, Australia faced North Korea, which finished second in Group B after wins over Uzbekistan and Bangladesh and a defeat to China. The Matildas won 2-1 against the Eastern Azaleas at HBF Park, with Alanna Kennedy and Sam Kerr on the scoresheet for the former and Chae Un-Yong scoring for the latter.
Kennedy, despite being a defencive midfielder, is the frontrunner for this competition’s Golden Boot with five goals. Before striking first against North Korea yesterday, the 31-year-old had braces against Iran and South Korea. Meanwhile, Kerr now has three goals, level with North Korea’s Kim Kyong-Yong and Japan’s Hinata Miyazawa.
Mackenzie Arnold also deserves a shoutout for keeping the Matildas solid at the back, especially against North Korea. When Chae Un-Yong made it 2-1 five minutes after the hour mark, Australia absorbed immense pressure from North Korea. But Arnold denied Ri Hak and Kuk Hyang’s attempts to seal, not only their semi-finals berth but also their qualification for the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
China out to assert dominance over neighbours
China were one of the two teams that had yet to taste defeat in this year’s continental tournament. The Steel Roses opened their campaign with three consecutive group stage wins over Bangladesh (2-0), Uzbekistan (3-0), and North Korea (2-1) for a healthy goal difference of +6 heading into the quarter-finals. Head coach Ante Milicic is pleased with what he has seen from his players thus far.
Li Qingtong and Wang Shuang have been China’s top scorers in the tournament with two goals each, while Chen Qiaozhu, Shao Ziqin, and Zhang Rui have also found the back of the net.
China have won their last seven AFC Women’s Asian Cup games against Chinese Taipei, including a 4-0 win in the group stage of the 2022 edition, keeping clean sheets in all of those games. The Steel Roses have also scored multiple goals in 13 of their last 14 AFC Women’s Asian Cup games, except for their 3-1 loss to Japan in the 2018 semi-finals.
Against Chinese Taipei today, the Steel Roses will certainly key in on Su Yu-Hsuan, as the 25-year-old striker already has two goals in the competition. Su Yu-Hsuan has scored in each of her last four appearances at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup (five goals) and could become the fourth player to score in five straight games since the beginning of the 2018 edition.
Philippines face daunting task after reaching quarter-finals
The Philippines unexpectedly qualified for the quarter-finals of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup. They placed third in Group A behind South Korea and Australia after winning only one game, so they needed help from the other nations to advance to the knockouts as one of the best third seeds. Mark Torcaso’s side got a timely assist from Japan, who beat Vietnam 4-0 in Group C. As a result, the Filipinas overtook Vietnam with a superior tiebreak and joined Uzbekistan. However, Japan won’t help the Philippines this time in the quarter-finals, as they’ll face off tomorrow at Accor Stadium. Sara Eggesvik and Chandler McDaniel are the only Filipinas to have scored so far, and they’ll need the others to join in (along with Olivia McDaniel’s saves) to stand a chance. Kiko Seike, Riko Ueki, and Hinata Miyazawa are the biggest threats to the Filipinas’ rearguard, as they’ve scored 11 goals combined.
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