New Delhi: India were clubbed with Qatar, Bahrain, and Brunei Darussalam in AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualifiers draw held in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday.
Naushad Moosa’s team will travel to host country Qatar for Group H matches that will be held between September 1 to 9.
India were placed in Pot 3 as per seedings derived from a points system that kept their performance in the earlier three editions of the tournament.
At 127, they are the third highest ranking team in the group after Qatar (55), Bahrain (84) and Brunei (185). Being the highest ranking team has given Qatar the advantage of hosting all the Group H matches.
Only the group winners and four best runners-up teams from a total of 44 teams divided into 11 groups of four each will qualify with hosts Saudi Arabia to the seventh edition of the tournament.
Thus India have a significant battle in front of them to be advance to the main stage that will be held in January 2026.
Moosa’s second stint at helm of the U-23 side will begin with a training camp in Kolkata from June 1, following which they will fly off to Tajikistan for a couple of friendly games against Tajikistan (June 18) and Kyrgyz Republic (June 21).
The All India Football Federation plans to make use of all the FIFA international windows to organise camps for the U-23 team and arrange for friendlies as a tune-up programme before the Asian Cup qualifiers.
The draw:
Group A: Jordan (Hosts), Turkmenistan, Chinese Taipei, Bhutan
Group B: Japan, Kuwait, Myanmar (H), Afghanistan
Group C: Vietnam (H), Yemen, Singapore, Bangladesh
Group D: Australia, China (H), Timor-Leste, Northern Mariana Islands
Group E: Uzbekistan, Palestine, Kyrgyz Republic (H), Sri Lanka
Group F: Thailand (H), Malaysia, Lebanon, Mongolia
Group G: Iraq, Cambodia (H), Oman, Pakistan
Group H: Qatar (H), Bahrain, India, Brunei Darussalam
Group I: United Arab Emirates (H), IR Iran, Hong Kong China, Guam
Group J: Korea Republic, Indonesia (H), Laos, Macau
Group K: Tajikistan, Syria, Philippines, Nepal.
Naushad Moosa’s Indian team will take on Qatar, Bahrai and Brunei in Group H of the AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualifiers between September 1 to 9. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
