The FIFA ASEAN Cup, which recently concluded with Indonesia crowned as the first champion, is facing an uncertain future. Reports indicate that the tournament may not be organized again due to financial challenges and scheduling conflicts with other international competitions.

Indonesia triumphed over Thailand in a tense penalty shootout to secure the title. However, the ASEAN Football website noted that Indonesia could end up being the only champion in the tournament's history. The increasing density of the international schedule set by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and FIFA, which includes World Cup qualifiers and proposed tournaments like the AFC Nations League, leaves little room for additional competitions such as the FIFA ASEAN Cup.

The FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 took place immediately after the ASEAN Cup 2026, leading to player fatigue and injuries, particularly for the Vietnamese national team. The first edition of the tournament faced significant hurdles in attracting sponsorship and securing broadcasting rights. In the final moments, some Vietnamese media outlets managed to obtain broadcasting rights after extensive negotiations.

Thailand, known for purchasing FIFA tournament broadcasting rights at high prices, declined to acquire rights for the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026. Additionally, the tournament struggled to invite quality teams, with China and India opting out, while weaker teams like Pakistan and Bangladesh participated. Bangladesh notably lost all three of its matches, conceding 13 goals, including a staggering 9-2 defeat to Indonesia in the group stage.

Given these challenges, the future of the FIFA ASEAN Cup remains precarious, raising the possibility that Indonesia could be the sole champion of this competition. FIFA had initially planned to hold the tournament every four years, with the next edition tentatively scheduled for 2030, but its continuation will depend on the tournament's profitability.