How they qualified: 2018 champions

Best finish: Champions (2015, 2018)

Appearances: 3

Fun Fact: Undefeated in two editions

On paper, the reigning champions are the team to beat, having won each of the previous two editions by emerging victorious in every one of the 10 matches they played. 

Having led them to glory in the inaugural 2015 edition, Foruzan Solymani returns to helm the side and can count on the firepower of Sara Shirbeigi, who tops the competition’s all-time top-scorers’ chart with 14 goals and Fereshteh Karimi, who follows in second with 11 strikes.

Remarkably, the duo are part of a group of five players in this team who will be participating in their third tournament - Hong Kong, China (3), Thailand (3), Japan (1), Vietnam (1) and Uzbekistan (1) are the only other sides with such players.

How they qualified: Group D winners

Best finish: Fourth place (2018)

Appearances: 3

Fun Fact: Vietnam were the highest scorers in the Qualifiers with 28 goals

Champions of the inaugural ASEAN Women’s Futsal Championship 2024, Vietnam have also participated in all five Southeast Asian Games to date and finished runners-up each time.

Nguyen Dinh Hoang’s charges have played friendly matches on a regular basis over the past year as part of preparations for this tournament and will aim to crack the top three for the first time.

How they qualified: Group B runners-up

Best finish: Group stage (2015, 2018)

Appearances: 3

Fun Fact: Playing in her third tournament, Wong Shuk Fan will be 45 years and 7 days old on the first day of this edition - making her the oldest ever player in its history.

Having picked up their first ever win during the previous edition under her charge, Ho Wing Kam will eye even more improvement when she helms the Hong Kong, China side for a second consecutive tournament.

Wong Shuk Fan, Ng Cheuk Wai and Wong So Han return for their third participation while the firepower of Cheng Wai Ki, who scored five times in the Qualifiers, will be crucial to their hopes of doing well.

How they qualified: Best third-placed team

Appearances: Debutants

Fun Fact: At 16 years and 350 days when the tournament kicks off, Samantha Hughes is the youngest player at this edition.

While the Philippines are guaranteed to play at the inaugural FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup as hosts, they are determined to leave no stone unturned in their preparations for a good showing on home soil.

A maiden qualification for this tournament serves as a confidence boost and head coach Rafael Rodriguez will expect to see more progress in Hohhot, despite the Filipinas being the second lowest-ranked side among the 12 teams.