Teams set to find out path to AFC Women’s Asian Cup Jordan 2018

Amman: The stage is set for Asian women’s national teams to begin on the road to next year’s AFC Women’s Asian Cup Jordan 2018, as the qualifiers draw will be held in the capital of Jordan.

Jordan will host the Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) flagship women’s national team tournament after the successful FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Jordan 2016 organised in the country last year.

The draw on Saturday at 15.00 local time (GMT +2) will be preceded by the Hosting Rights Awarding Ceremony where the AFC officially hands over the hosting rights for the final competition to Jordan.

The 21 competing teams in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Jordan 2018 Qualifiers draw will be placed in one group of six teams and three groups of five teams.

The teams are – Korea Republic, Thailand, Vietnam, Jordan, Myanmar, Chinese Taipei, Uzbekistan, Philippines, Hong Kong, Lebanon, Bahrain, Islamic Republic of Iran, India, Palestine, DPR Korea, Guam, Iraq, Singapore, Syria, Tajikistan and the United Arab Emirates.

The three highest-ranked women’s national teams from the last AFC Women’s Asian Cup – Japan, Australia and China PR - receive automatic qualification into the finals. The group winners of each of the four qualifying groups will qualify for the finals in April 2018 in Jordan.

Jordan as hosts also receive automatic qualification. Therefore, in case they finish top of their qualifying group, the runner-up team will also advance to the final competition. The qualifiers will kick off on April 3, 2017.

AFC President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa said: “The Jordan Football Association hosted a fantastic FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup last year and I would like to congratulate them again for this wonderful achievement.

“I have no doubt that the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in the country next yaer will be every bit as professionally and passionately delivered. It is an occasion I and the whole continent looks forward to.”

“Women’s football is extremely strong in Asia with five of the top twenty women’s national teams in the world from this continent - and we also have a FIFA Women’s World Cup winner in Japan, who lifted the trophy in 2011.

“In addition, Asian teams have been dominating the youth competitions – DPR Korea won both the FIFA U-20 and U-17 Women’s World Cups in 2016, with the women’s U-17 final being an all-Asian affair, as both finalist teams (the runners-up were Japan), the refereeing team as well as the hosts were all from AFC Member Associations.”

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Australia

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Korea Republic

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Bahrain

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Lebanon

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China PR

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Myanma

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Chinese Taipei

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Palestine

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DPR Korea

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Philippines

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Guam

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Singapore

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Hong Kong

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Syria

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India

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Tajikistan

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Iraq

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Thailand

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Islamic Republic of Iran

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United Arab Emirates

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Japan

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Uzbekistan

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Jordan

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Vietnam

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Please click here for full details of the draw mechanics.

For the live streaming of Saturday's AFC Women’s Asian Cup Jordan 2018 Qualifiers Draw and Hosting Rights Awarding Ceremony, please click here

Photo: AFC