Australian coach wants to attend ASEAN Cup

"I'd love it," Popovic told ESPN about Australia's prospect to join the ASEAN Championship. "The more games with the Socceroos, the better."

"If you have a clear goal and a clear view of those tournaments, any international exposure helps players," he said.

Australia (yellow) in their 1-0 victory over Vietnam in the third qualifiers of the 2022 World Cup, Sept. 7, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Lam Thoa

Since joining the Southeast Asian Football Federation (AFF) in 2013, Australia have never competed in the ASEAN Cup, formerly known as the AFF Cup. The country switched to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in 2006 and has since been a regular in the Asian Cup. Two key obstacles prevent Australia from joining the ASEAN Cup: the strength gap between Australia and Southeast Asian teams and scheduling conflicts with the A-League.

The A-League runs from October to May without a mid-season break, while the ASEAN Cup is not included in FIFA’s international match calendar, meaning clubs are not required to release players. This makes it difficult for Australia to field its strongest squad.

Australia, ranked 26th in FIFA, sits far above Southeast Asian teams such as Thailand (97), Vietnam (114), and Indonesia (127). However, in their most recent encounter with an ASEAN team, Australia were held to a 0-0 draw by Indonesia in Jakarta during a 2026 World Cup qualifier.

Popovic hopes the Australian Football Federation will find a solution, suggesting that the U21 or U23 teams could compete instead.

"We're crying out for our under-17s, 20s, and 23s to qualify for tournaments. Why? Because of that international experience, you can't buy it," the 51-year-old coach said. "But when you're out there and you're playing in that, players grow, players get opportunities to go to bigger and better leagues."

A former center-back, Popovic represented Australia from 1995 to 2006 before coaching in Australia, Turkey, and Greece. He took charge of the national team in 2024.

The ASEAN Cup lasts about a month, with each team playing at least four and up to eight matches. Thailand leads with seven titles (1996, 2000, 2002, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2022), followed by Singapore (1998, 2004, 2007, 2012), Vietnam (2008, 2018, 2024), and Malaysia (2010). The next tournament is expected in 2026.