The Asian Football Confederation has officially confirmed plans to launch an AFC Nations League, a new international tournament aimed at making national-team fixtures more competitive and meaningful.
The
proposed competition will follow a tier-based system similar to UEFA's Nations League, which was introduced in 2018 to replace low-value friendlies with structured contests between evenly matched teams.
The decision comes at a time when international football bodies are reassessing the value of traditional fixtures. With the Confederation of African Football also set to introduce an African Nations League from 2029, the AFC acknowledged growing challenges under the existing international calendar.
In a statement released on Sunday, the AFC explained its concerns, stating:
"The effective utilisation of the FIFA international match windows has become increasingly challenging due to limited opponent availability, rising operational costs and logistical complexities, often diminishing the sporting value of international fixtures. "
After what it described as an extensive internal review and consultations, the confederation said it has agreed in principle to roll out the competition. UEFA's Nations League has been widely praised for improving match quality and offering lower-ranked teams more competitive opportunities, and the AFC appears keen to adopt a similar approach.
While the overall philosophy is clear, the AFC has not yet confirmed whether the Nations League will be linked to qualification pathways for the FIFA World Cup or the Asian Cup. Further discussions with member associations and stakeholders will take place before finalising the framework.
Details regarding the format, structure, rollout timeline and implementation are expected to be announced at a later date.
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