AFC plans to launch Nations League to overhaul World Cup qualification

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) is planning to launch the AFC Nations League, a new competition set to begin in 2030. This restructuring aims to create a more sustainable international match framework and will fundamentally change the qualification processes for both the FIFA World Cup and the AFC Asian Cup.

Under the proposed format, the 47 member associations will be divided into three tiers. The first and second divisions will each consist of 18 teams, while the third division will feature 11 teams split into three groups. The system will utilize a promotion and relegation model every two years. Notably, the AFC intends to move away from regional or zonal groupings to address disparities in competition levels across the continent.

The Nations League will serve as the primary pathway for major tournaments. For the Asian Cup, the competition is expected to start in 2030, with all first-division teams and the top six second-division teams qualifying for the finals. For the World Cup, the integration is slated for the 2032-33 season. In the first division, the top six teams would earn direct qualification, while teams ranked seventh through tenth would compete in a playoff for the remaining two direct spots.

A pilot tournament is planned for the 2028-29 period to establish the initial divisions based on recent qualification results rather than FIFA rankings.