THE Myanmar U17 men’s team has arrived in Saudi Arabia to compete in the 2026 AFC U17 Asian Cup 2026 and is carrying out final preparations. The squad includes 23 players, largely based on those who featured in the 2026 ASEAN U17 Championship, with only minor changes.
Preparations for the final stage began late last year, and the team played two friendlies against India U17 in March, drawing one and losing one. As part of their final buildup, Myanmar competed in the ASEAN U17 Championship held in Indonesia from 12 to 24 April. They drew with Laos in their opening match and beat Thailand 1-0 in the second, but an unexpected defeat to the Philippines in the final group game saw them eliminated at the group stage. The tournament will be held from 5 to 22 May.
Myanmar are drawn in Group A alongside hosts Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan and Thailand. Group B includes Japan, Indonesia, Qatar and China, Group C features South Korea, Yemen, Vietnam and the UAE, while Group D consists of Uzbekistan, Australia and India.
Under the competition format, the top two teams from each group will advance to the quarter-finals, and the eight quarter-finalists will qualify for the FIFA U17 World Cup. Myanmar, therefore, has a chance to secure its first-ever qualification for the U17 World Cup.
Ko Nyi Lay/KZL
TheGlobalNewLIghtOfMyanmar