A year and a half on from the last edition, the ASEAN Championship is back -- and it is celebrating its 30th anniversary.
Officially known as the ASEAN Hyundai Cup 2026, the stage is once again set for ten teams to vie to be crowned kings of Southeast Asian football.
The 16th edition of the region's premier club competition also sees a pivot to a summer window for the first time since 1998.
The single round-robin group stage will run from July 24 to Aug. 8, before the knockout round -- comprising home-and-away semifinals and final -- takes place from Aug. 15 to 26.
Vietnam head into the tournament as defending champions having claimed their third title last time out after prevailing over Thailand 5-3 on aggregate in a thrilling decider.
STANDINGS
With the ten teams divided into two groups, each side will play a total of four home-and-away games -- with only the top two in each group advancing to the knockout round. The semis and final will be played over two legs.
Nine nations qualified automatically, with the final spot to be decided on June 9 when the two-legged qualifier between Brunei Darussalam and Timor-Leste concludes.
Group A is headlined by reigning champions Vietnam but there is another who have tasted success in the competition before in the form of four-time winners Singapore.
Meanwhile, Indonesia -- who have made great strides in recent times and were the only Southeast Asian team to reach the third round of the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup -- will be hoping this is the year they finally end up their unwanted record of six runners-up finishes without ever lifting the trophy.
Cambodia and the winner of the qualifying playoff round off the group.
Meanwhile, record seven-time winners Thailand should be the team to beat in Group B although 2010 champions Malaysia are also a team with pedigree.
Philippines could also be looking to pull off an upset, like they did in 2024 when they returned to the semifinals following a six-year absence, while Myanmar and Laos are the other teams in the group.
- Catch all the ASEAN Championship action live on the ASEAN United FC YouTube channel here!
FIXTURES & RESULTS
(Venues and kickoff times to be announced)
July 24: Group A Match Day 1
Cambodia vs. Singapore
Qualification winner vs. Vietnam
July 25: Group A Match Day 1
Myanmar vs. Malaysia
Laos vs. Thailand
July 27: Group A Match Day 2
Indonesia vs. Cambodia
Singapore vs. Qualification winner
July 28: Group B Match Day 2
Philippines vs. Myanmar
Malaysia vs. Laos
July 31: Group A Match Day 3
Qualification winner vs. Indonesia
Vietnam vs. Singapore
Aug. 1: Group B Match Day 3
Laos vs. Philippines
Thailand vs. Malaysia
Aug. 3: Group A Match Day 4
Cambodia vs. Qualification winner
Indonesia vs. Vietnam
Aug. 4: Group B Match Day 4
Myanmar vs. Laos
Philippines vs. Thailand
Aug. 7: Group A Match Day 5
Vietnam vs. Cambodia
Singapore vs. Indonesia
Aug. 8: Group B Match Day 5
Thailand vs. Myanmar
Malaysia vs. Philippines
WHERE TO WATCH
Cambodia: BAYON TV, BTV SPORTS/FACEBOOK
Indonesia: MCN VISION & K-VISION - SPORTSTAR, OTT: VISION+, INEWS & RCTI OFFICIAL/YOUTUBE
Laos: BG SPORTS/FACEBOOK & YOUTUBE
Malaysia: ASTRO ARENA, ASTRO GO & SOOKA
Myanmar: SKYNET, BG SPORTS/FACEBOOK & YOUTUBE
Philippines: PHILIPPINE FOOTBALL FEDERATION SOCIAL MEDIA
Singapore: MEDIACORP - MEWATCH
Thailand: THAIRATH TV & THAIRATH SPORTS/YOUTUBE, FACEBOOK & INSTAGRAM, BG SPORTS/FACEBOOK & YOUTUBE, TRUE VISIONS - TRUESPORT 2, AIS PLAY
Vietnam: FPT PLAY
South Korea: SPOTV
Rest of the world: @ASEANUtdFC on YouTube and Facebook, OneFootball (excluding Asia-Pacific)