Pakistani footballers are set to mark a historic moment in the country’s sports domain by featuring in the AFC Futsal Asian Cup Qualifiers for the very first time.

With Pakistan joining 31 other nations in the competition, the tournament will commence with the draw on June 26 at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur.

The 32 participating teams will be split into eight groups — seven groups of four and one group of three — for the qualifiers, which will be held in a centralised league format from September 20 to September 24.

Pakistan has been placed in Pot 4, along with other debutant or lower-ranked teams. The seeding is based on the latest FIFA Futsal Men’s World Rankings, where Pakistan is currently unranked.

This makes the upcoming qualifiers a valuable opportunity to gain international exposure and collect ranking points.

The top team from each group, along with the seven best second-placed sides, will qualify for the 18th edition of the AFC Futsal Asian Cup Finals in Indonesia, scheduled for January 2026.

The competition will be fierce, with futsal giants like Iran (World No 5), Thailand (11), Japan (13), and Uzbekistan (23) among the top-seeded teams. These nations have maintained a consistent presence in every edition of the tournament since its inception in 1999.

The national side, meanwhile, will be aiming to pull off a few surprises and build a foundation for long-term progress in the Asian futsal landscape.

The group draw, scheduled for 3 PM Malaysia time on June 26, has generated considerable anticipation as Pakistan awaits its first taste of continental futsal competition.

Pots for Futsal Asian Cup Qualifiers

Hosts Pot: Thailand (11; Seeding: 1), Kuwait (40; 1), Tajikistan (44; 2), Kyrgyz Republic (48; 2), Saudi Arabia (50; 2), Myanmar (56; 2), Malaysia (76; 2), China PR (79; 3)

Pot 1: Islamic Republic of Iran (5), Thailand (11), Japan (13), Uzbekistan (23), Vietnam (31), Afghanistan (33), Kuwait (40), Iraq (41)

Pot 2: Tajikistan (44), Kyrgyz Republic (48), Saudi Arabia (50), Australia (52), Lebanon (53), Myanmar (56), Korea Republic (70), Malaysia (76)

Pot 3: China PR (79), Chinese Taipei (82), Bahrain (83), United Arab Emirates (97), Maldives (106), Timor-Leste (109), Mongolia (112), Macau (115)

Pot 4: Hong Kong, China (118), Brunei Darussalam (119), Palestine (121), Cambodia (125), India (135), Bangladesh (unranked), Pakistan (unranked)