Players to watch at the 2026 Women’s Asian Cup

Sam Kerr (Australia), 32 Striker

Undoubtably the biggest name at the 2026 Women’s Asian Cup, Kerr is the rare example of a women’s footballer who has a higher national profile than any of her male counterparts.

She is, after all, the first female player to grace the cover of the wildly popular football video game franchise now known as EA Sports FC back in 2022.

A three-time Ballon d’Or Feminin podium-placer with the joint-most nominations for football’s premier individual gong, her pedigree is beyond reproach, but her form and fitness remain unclear.

An anterior cruciate ligament injury in January 2024 ruled her out for over 20 months, with the 32-year-old striker’s return to action last September cautiously managed by her club Chelsea.

She offered a glimpse of vintage Kerr on her 150th appearance for them, coming off the bench to score in the Blues’ 2-1 FA Women’s Cup fifth-round win over Manchester United on Feb 22.

Said Chelsea boss Sonia Bompastor: “She was involved to impact in the best way possible, being able to score and contribute to the performance...

“I know it’s been a little bit tough with many things, like her not getting the minutes she wanted to. Also with the decisions that have been made, emotionally it was a little bit difficult.”

Matildas coach Joe Montemurro has no doubt about his star player’s emotional state, saying: “There’s something in Sam’s voice, just speaking to her...

“She’s really excited to give the public a real showcase of how we’re going to play. There’s a buzz in the air when you speak to her and it’s really exciting.”

Yui Hasegawa (Japan), 29 Midfielder

The Nadeshiko are famed as a great collective, but in the heart of Japan’s midfield lies a world-class midfield schemer.

For the past three seasons, the 29-year-old has made the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) Women’s Super League (WSL) Team of the Year and, last term, she was also Manchester City’s Player of the Season.

City manager Andree Jeglertz has described her “as one of the best midfielders” in the world, while teammate and England goalkeeper Khiara Keating dubbed her “an absolute magician” who is “five steps ahead of everyone else”.

Last season, she completed more dribbles than any other player in the WSL and ranked second for successful passes in the opposition half.

But, for all her undoubted technical ability and eye for a pass, what is arguably more impressive is her ability to win the ball.

The petite, 1.57m bundle of unbounded energy won possession more times than any other player in the WSL. She was second in that department in the Women’s Champions League, despite City being knocked out in the quarter-finals last season.

She also ranked first for interceptions and average distance covered, fourth for tackles and seventh for duels won.

Her former City manager Gareth Taylor said that “out of possession, (she’s) one of the best anticipators I’ve worked with”.

But the most remarkable stat from the last campaign might be that she accomplished all that without committing a single foul in the WSL, Champions League or League Cup.

Hasegawa’s impact extends beyond the pitch with her role on the Fifpro Global Player Council.

In February, she highlighted that “Asia still lags behind Europe... The drive for football’s development and investment levels are still far lower”.

Pointing to the Asian Cup, she added: “The fact that this tournament is being held in Australia – currently the only place in Asia where men and women receive equal pay – presents a huge opportunity.”

Ji So-yun (South Korea), 35 Midfielder

Indisputably the best women’s player South Korea has ever produced, Ji has already cemented her place as one of Asian football’s greats.

A serial trophy collector during her eight-year tenure at Chelsea, she was named FA Women’s Players’ Player of the Year in her debut season in 2014. A year later, she was named PFA Women’s Player of the Year.

She was also in the PFA Women’s Super League Team of the Year five times, more than any other player.

Her former Chelsea manager Emma Hayes described the No. 10 as “without a doubt the best international player in the WSL ever”, adding: “I have never seen a player like Ji in the women’s game. She has left such a massive stamp on my heart.”

Describing Ji’s game, former England and Everton defender Lindsay Johnson said: “She’s so influential on the ball and very creative. She can open the game up and find passes which you just don’t think are on.”

She is also a leader off the pitch, leading the call for more parity in terms of how the national men and women’s sides are treated in terms of accommodation, travel and resources.

Ji stood up for her team in February, saying: “It feels as though the players are not being treated in a manner befitting national team members.

“With a heavy heart, I believe action is necessary to bring about change.”

Their Asian Cup boycott has since been averted, meaning South Korea’s record goalscorer and most-capped player will get one more shot at filling that one glaring hole in her CV – a major title with her national team.

In 2025, she scored in the final to help her nation win the East Asian Football Federation Women’s E-1 Football Championship, her first trophy with the Taegeuk Ladies, 19 years after her international debut.

While South Korea will not be favourites in Australia, they came agonisingly close at the last edition in 2022, losing the final to China after an added-time goal. Only Kerr found the net more often than Ji (five) at the tournament in India.

Choe Il Son (North Korea), 19 Forward

North Korea head to the Asian Cup with an intriguing mix of buzz and mystery.

They are back at the tournament for the first time since 2010, having missed the previous three editions for a variety of reasons – suspension, failure to qualify and a withdrawal.

In the previous seven editions dating back to 1997, the Eastern Azaleas lifted the title three times, with their worst result being third place.

In 2024, their girls won the Under-20 Women’s World Cup and, in 2025, they won their third straight U-17 World Cup.

Choe was not just part of both teams, she was integral. At 17, she won the Golden Ball and Golden Boot at the U-20 tournament, scoring six times in seven matches, including the only goal in the final against Japan.

Upon the U-20 team’s triumphant return from Bogota, she was singled out for praise by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

In October, the forward was named 2025 Women’s Youth Player of the Year by the Asian Football Confederation, which flagged her “blistering pace, silky control, exceptional awareness and deadly finishing”.

She, too, has full belief in her ability, having previously said: “What else can I say, it’s a kind of confidence I have. I know my qualities and I’m convinced that I can make a difference in any match I play.”