Last year, we informed our readers of the finest young Asian players to watch in 2025 . The list included the likes of Kota Takai, who has since moved from Kawasaki Frontale in Japan to Tottenham Hotspur, while Australians Jed Drew and Thomas Waddingham have swapped the A-League for the Austrian Bundesliga and English Championship respectively.
We attempt to again highlight some of the players from the Asian Football Confederation who are likely to move onto bigger things in 2026, while some may even light up the World Cup.
Here are 10 of Asian football’s brightest prospects, in no particular order:
1. Max Caputo - Melbourne City and Australia U20
Max Caputo started the 2025-26 season with a bang, making his mark not only at home, but also in the AFC Champions League (ACL).
On November 26th, the A-League’s official X account proclaimed, “SIX goals in the eight games. 20 years old. Australia’s next star striker might have arrived at Melbourne City”.
The striker has certainly grabbed the attention with a glut of goals since netting twice for Australia’s U20 team against Cuba on October 5th. His 97th-minute winner in the ACL match against Thailand’s Buriram United highlighted that he can deliver when the pressure is on.
Melbourne City head coach Aurelio Vidmar has called for calm as pundits push for a call-up to Australia’s senior team. If Caputo continues his current form, Vidmar will be unable to keep Caputo under wraps.
2. Kento Shiogai - NEC Nijmegen and Japan U20
Japanese striker Kento Shiogai’s career has been a slow burner since he moved from Yokohama F Marinos to NEC Nijmegen in August 2024. At the age of 19, he managed four goals and one assist in 26 appearances in his first season in the Eredvisie. This may seem a modest return, but he did start most of those matches on the bench.
Shiogai had surpassed that total of goals by Matchday 13 of the 2025-26 season, reaching five for the campaign with a match winning double off the bench in a 4-2 victory at Feyenoord.
The first one was a brilliant glancing header, while the second gained international attention as he lobbed the Feyenoord goalkeeper from just inside the opposition half. Two weeks later, he made another decisive contribution from the bench. Volendam had levelled the match against NEC Nijmegen at 2-2 in the 90th minute, but Shiogai kept his nerve when put through on goal in the 95th minute, and he slotted home the winner.
Three goals followed in his next two matches, including a double at AFC in the Dutch Cup. Shiogai may still be seen mainly as an option from the bench at his club, but he is clearly on the right track.
3. Yudong Wang - Zhejiang Professional and China
The world’s second most populous nation has struggled to make an impact at international level in recent years and have failed to make the 2026 World Cup finals. However, the future could look brighter with talents like Yudong Wang emerging in the domestic league.
In June 2025, Sun Xioachen wrote in the China Daily, “China's soccer prodigy Wang Yudong has emerged as a rare silver lining in the country's total failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup”. At 18, Wang had just become the country’s youngest ever goalscorer in World Cup qualifiers.
Now 19, Wang has just ended the 2025 Chinese Super League campaign with 11 goals and five assists. He is an all-round striker with impressive skills, and now carries the hopes of China as they look to discover an elite footballing talent. For now, Wang looks like their best bet.
4. Ali Jasim - Al-Najmah/Como and Iraq
The Saudi Pro League’s official website had high praise for Iraq’s Ali Jasim following his early impact at Al-Najmah:
“that newly promoted Al-Najmah were able to secure Jasim’s services for this season was quite the coup. Despite the club’s struggles, Jasim has been one of the real positives”.
The Iraqi midfielder moved to Saudi Arabia on loan from ambitious Serie A club, Como, and quickly adapted to life in a league that features the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Kingsley Coman.
When he signed for the Italians, head coach Cesc Fabregas told Como’s website,
“We think Jasim can flourish with us at Como. He has already made a big impression with the national team and in the AFC Champions League, and we’re hoping he’ll hit the ground running in Italy next season”.
Making his mark in Italy has had to wait, but Jasim can make a big statement at the 2026 World Cup if Iraq can win an inter-continental playoff to qualify for just the second time in their history. Jasim has provided big moments for his country at U23 level, and he could be the one who leads them to the biggest stage of all.
5. Shin Min-ha - Gangwon FC and South Korea U23
To be a regular starter in a K League 1 team at 19 years of age is a sure sign that a player is destined for greater things and Shin Min-ha’s future looks bright. He helped his club Gangwon to a fifth-place finish in the 2025 domestic season, while they remain in contention for progress in the ACL.
The centre-back has starred for the national team at U20 and U22 level, and a call-up to the senior side seems just a matter of time. Whether or not he makes it in time for the 2026 World Cup finals remains to be seen, but his club head coach Chung Kyung-ho has described him as “a player with endless growth potential”.
There have been comparisons with Kim Min-jae, a Serie A champion at Napoli and a Bundesliga winner with current club Bayern Munich. If Shin, now 20, can reach these heights, he will certainly have fulfilled that potential.
6. Ryunosuke Sato - Fagiano Okayama/FC Tokyo and Japan
November’s most recent Japan squad had just three players from the J.League, with most of the country’s top talents choosing to develop their careers in Europe. One of those three was the winner of the 2025 J.League Best Young Player award, 19-year-old Ryunosuke Sato.
The attacking midfielder had a huge breakthrough year in 2025, netting six goals in J1 League as his club secured safety in their first ever season in the top tier. Sato also received his first caps for the senior national side at the age of 18, with his potential clearly not going unnoticed.
Sato’s parent club FC Tokyo will have him back for the 2026 season, but they may soon be contacted by other clubs with an interest in this energetic, goal scoring midfielder.
7. Talal Haji - Al Riyadh / Al Ittihad and Saudi Arabia
With the influx of so many established global stars, it has become harder for young Saudi Arabian players to stand out in their domestic league. 18-year-old striker Talal Haji is doing his best to change that.
In 2023, he became the youngest ever player to make an appearance in the Saudi Pro League, aged just 16 years and five days. At the 2024 AFC Asian Cup, Haji then became the youngest ever player to represent the national team at just 16 years and 131 days. Finally, at 16 years and 175 days, he became the youngest ever scorer in the Saudi Pro League, netting for Al Ittihad.
With stiff competition at Al Ittihad, whose main striker is former Ballon D’Or winner Karim Benzema, Haji was allowed to go on to Al Riyadh to gain more game time. While his form has yet to match his undoubted potential, two goals at the recent U20 World Cup were a reminder that this 18-year-old remains the most promising Saudi talent.
8. Sadriddin Khasanov - Bunyodkor and Uzbekistan U17
Still just 17, Khasanov has shown his potential at youth international level rather than club level, but it has been enough for him to be named as one of the Guardian’s ‘Next Generation 2025: 60 of the best young talents in world football’.
He particularly caught the eye at the AFC U17 Championship in April 2025 as he inspired Uzbekistan to go all the way, defeating Saudi Arabia in the final and being named player of the tournament. The Guardian’s John Duerden wrote, “Likes to cut inside from the left, fast, strong, with an eye for goal, Khasanov also appears to have a winning mentality”.
In November, Khasanov notched two goals and an assist in his country’s run to the last 16 of the U17 World Cup. The 2026 senior World Cup may come too soon for Khasanov, but he has marked himself out as one for the future.
9. Alex Badolato - Newcastle Jets and Australia U20
2025 was quite a year for 20-year-old Alex Badolato. The Australian midfielder led Australia to their first AFC youth title, winning the AFC U20 Asian Cup by beating Saudi Arabia in the final. Badolato contributed two goals to the campaign and was named player of the tournament. Badolato’s performances in China undoubtedly had a significant influence on the judging panel that named him as the AFC’s Youth Player of the Year.
Prior to 2025, Badolato’s introduction to senior football had been gradual. His former club Western Sydney Wanderers gave him experience in the semi-professional National Premier League NSW, while easing him gently into the A-League where he made 12 appearances in the 2023-24 season.
After a period on loan at Melbourne Victory, Badolato joined Newcastle Jets ahead of the 2025-26 season, and he really hit his stride early in the current A-League campaign. At his new club, he had scored four goals and provided three assists by the end of December. This included a sensational hat-trick against former club Melbourne Victory.
10. Ibrahim Sabra - Goztepe and Jordan
The biggest story in Jordanian football in 2026 will be the country’s first ever participation at the World Cup finals. When they face Lionel Messi’s Argentina, as well as Austria and Algeria in the group stage, striker Ibrahim Sabra will hope to be on the team sheet.
The 19-year-old’s form at Al-Wehdat, persuaded Turkish Super Lig club Goztepe to sign him and, while injuries have hampered his progress in Turkey, he did get off the mark in a 3-0 win against Besiktas.
Sabra has been prolific at youth level for his country, including a double strike against North Korea in the 2025 AFC U20 Asian Cup. An article on the FIFA website highlighted his prowess in other sports as key to developing his all-round game.
“The 19-year-old striker… has benefitted from his experience of other sports, like athletics and kickboxing, giving him an edge in terms of strength and speed.”
If Sabra can overcome the injury problems that have affected his first season in Turkey, he should be at the World Cup, and he could be a handful for opposition defences.
