News

Nadeshiko, Nielsen part ways

Thu, 02 Apr, 2026

Nadeshiko, Nielsen part ways

Kuala Lumpur: The Japan Football Association announced on Thursday that Nils Nielsen’s contract as head coach of the women’s national team will not be renewed. 

The Dane steered Japan to the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026™ title, defeating Australia 1-0 in the final.

https://www.the-afc.com/en/national/afc_womens_asian_cup.html/video/wac2026-tournament-review

M27 JPN v AUS - Post Match Report

https://www.the-afc.com/en/national/afc_womens_asian_cup.html/video/wac2026-vote-for-your-favourite-knockout-stage-goal-presented-by-visa

#WAC2026 - Vote For Your Favourite Knockout Stage Goal Presented by Visa

Wed, 25 Mar, 2026

#WAC2026 - Vote For Your Favourite Knockout Stage Goal Presented by Visa

Sydney: The AFC Women's Asian Cup Australia 2026™ knockout stage delivered football at its most dramatic, where moments of brilliance defined legacies and decided fates.

From ice-cold finishes under pressure to breathtaking solo efforts and perfectly crafted team moves, the stakes only elevated the quality on display.  

The-AFC.com invites you - the fans - to vote for the goal which you think was the best in the knockout stage. 

M26 TPE v DPR Korea - Post Match Report

M25 UZB v PHI - Post Match Report

#WAC2026 - Facts & Figures

Sat, 21 Mar, 2026

#WAC2026 - Facts & Figures

Sydney: The curtain came down on the record-breaking AFC Women's Asian Cup Australia 2026™ with Japan defeating Australia in the final on Saturday.

It was a tournament filled with excitement and milestones and the-AFC.com picks out some interesting facts and figures from the continent's premier women's national team tournament.

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.