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East Asia Wrap: Chengdu held but stay top; Kashima extend lead; Seoul hit five

Sun, 22 Mar, 2026

East Asia Wrap: Chengdu held but stay top; Kashima extend lead; Seoul hit five

Tokyo: Chengdu Rongcheng dropped points for the first time this season but remain top of the Chinese Super League, while Kashima Antlers tightened their grip on Group A in Japan with another strong week.

In Korea Republic, FC Seoul surged to the summit with a dominant win, while Kitchee SC continued their control in Hong Kong. The-AFC.com reviews the past week's domestic action across East Asia.

Shaikh Salman hails Australia 2026 as Japan seals third Asian crown

Sun, 22 Mar, 2026

Shaikh Salman hails Australia 2026 as Japan seals third Asian crown

Kuala Lumpur: Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President, Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, has extended his warmest congratulations to Japan after the Nadeshiko defeated Australia 1-0 to secure their third AFC Women’s Asian Cup™ title following a spectacular Final at Stadium Australia on Saturday.

The tournament concluded on a historic note in front of yet another record-breaking 74,397 crowd, marking the third occasion a new fan attendance record was set across the 21-day football festival, and further cementing this edition as the most attended in the competition's history with total turnout surpassing the 350,000 mark.

https://www.the-afc.com/en/national/afc_womens_asian_cup.html/video/wac2026-final-review-japan-v-australia

https://www.the-afc.com/en/national/afc_womens_asian_cup.html/video/wac2026-|-final-japan-1-0-australia

Hamano: That was my kind of goal

Sat, 21 Mar, 2026

Hamano: That was my kind of goal

Sydney: While many will consider Maika Hamano’s AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026™ title-winning goal as special, the forward knows it didn’t happen just by chance.

The 17th minute strike distinguished Japan from Australia in the final on Saturday, with the 21-year-old blasting home a swerving ball from the edge of the box that gave custodian Mackenzie Arnold no chance.

Nielsen hails brilliant Japan

Sat, 21 Mar, 2026

Nielsen hails brilliant Japan

Sydney: Japan’s resilience in the 1-0 win against Australia in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026™ final on Saturday won a special place in the heart of head coach Nils Nielsen.

Dominant in all their matches leading up to the final, the Nadeshiko had to dig deep to stop a buoyant home side backed by a record 74,397 partisan fans at Stadium Australia, much to the delight of the Danish tactician.

https://www.the-afc.com/en/national/afc_womens_asian_cup.html/photo/wac2026-final-joy-tears

Joy for Japan; heartbreak for Australia

Sat, 21 Mar, 2026

Joy for Japan; heartbreak for Australia

Sydney:  A spectacular Maika Hamano strike sent Japan into seventh heaven as they defeated Australia 1-0 to win the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026™ final on Saturday.

The midfielder’s first half goal proved to be the decider in front of a record breaking crowd of 74,397 at an AFC Women’s Asian Cup match as the Nadeshiko were crowned Asian champions for the third time, following triumphs in 2014 and 2018 - also at Australia’s expense. 

https://www.the-afc.com/en/national/afc_womens_asian_cup.html/photo/final-japan-v-australia

Preview - Final: Japan v Australia

Sat, 21 Mar, 2026

Preview - Final: Japan v Australia

Sydney: Japan and Australia are equally confident heading into the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026™ final, with both head coaches agreeing that Saturday’s match is capable of going either way.

Japan breezed through the semi-finals with a 4-1 win against Korea Republic while Australia held their own in defeating China PR 2-1, with both teams having taken different journeys to get to this stage.

Japan’s Hasegawa determined to savour glory again

Fri, 20 Mar, 2026

Japan’s Hasegawa determined to savour glory again

Sydney: Come Saturday, Yui Hasegawa will be playing in her second AFC Women’s Asian Cup™ final and the determination to add the Australia 2026 title to the 2018 triumph is as high as it can possibly be.

The midfielder - recognised as one of the best in the world - was part of Japan’s title triumph at Jordan 2018 but vividly remembers the disappointment of four years ago when the Nadeshiko were knocked out by China PR in the semi-finals.

#WAC2026 Final - How they stack up: Japan v Australia

Fri, 20 Mar, 2026

#WAC2026 Final - How they stack up: Japan v Australia

Sydney: If the numbers are any indication, Japan will start as the favourites in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026™ final against Australia on Saturday.

The two-time champions have not only shone with their positive play on the pitch but also have the stats to back their impressive displays.

Australia, on paper, have it all to do if they are to match Japan and claim a second title, as the-AFC.com breaks down their performances thus far.