Kathmandu, March 25
The final round of qualifiers for the AFC Asian Cup 2027, set to be held in Saudi Arabia, begins today. Teams outside Asia’s top 18 rankings will compete for the remaining six spots in the tournament.
This is the third and final round of the Asian Cup qualifiers, featuring 24 teams divided into six groups of four.
Nepal is also competing in this stage and will begin its qualification campaign against Malaysia today.
The Group F match between Nepal and Malaysia will kick off at 7:45 PM Nepal Time at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Iskandar Puteri, Johor, Malaysia.
Malaysia is considered a stronger side compared to Nepal and ranks significantly higher in the FIFA rankings—132nd, while Nepal stands at 175th. Furthermore, Nepal has never defeated Malaysia in past encounters.
However, Nepal comes into the match with confidence after winning its last two games, while Malaysia has lost only two of its last 11 matches.
The Malaysian squad, strengthened by players from various countries, looks strong on paper. Meanwhile, Nepal has shown resilience, notably defeating Singapore, which is ranked 15 places higher, signaling that it should not be underestimated.
