Draw for AFC U-16 Championship 2018 qualifiers finalised

Defending champions Iraq, have been grouped with India, Palestine and Nepal who will host the qualifiers in Group D, while the Islamic Republic of Iran - last year’s runners-up - are scheduled to meet Kyrgyz Republic, Afghanistan, Lebanon and Bhutan in Group C.

Elsewhere, two-time champions and 2016 semi-finalists DPR Korea, will face Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei, Macau and Brunei Darussalam in Group F, with Japan, who also reached last year’s semi-finals drawn in Group J, along with Singapore, Malaysia and Guam.

The ten (10) group winners and five (5) best second-placed teams will advance to the final stage of the tournament, along with the host Member Association. The AFC U-16 Championship 2018 qualifiers are set to take place from September 16 to 24, 2017.

WEST Zone
Group A:

1. Uzbekistan
2. Saudi Arabia (Host for qualifiers)
3. Jordan
4. Bahrain
5. Sri Lanka

Group B:

1. Oman
2. Tajikistan (Host for qualifiers)
3. Syria
4. Turkmenistan
5. Maldives

Group C:

1. Islamic Republic of Iran (Host for qualifiers)
2. Kyrgyz Republic
3. Afghanistan
4. Lebanon
5. Bhutan

Group D:

1. Iraq
2. India
3. Palestine
4. Nepal (Host for qualifiers)

Group E:

1. United Arab Emirates
2. Yemen
3. Qatar (Host for qualifiers)
4. Bangladesh

EAST Zone
Group F:

1. DPR Korea
2. Hong Kong
3. Chinese Taipei
4. Macau
5. Brunei Darussalam

Group G:

1. Thailand (Host for qualifiers)
2. Laos
3. Timor-Leste
4. Northern Mariana Islands  
5. Indonesia

Group H:

1. Korea Republic
2. China PR
3. Myanmar
4. Philippines

Group I:

1. Vietnam
2. Australia
3. Mongolia  (Host for qualifiers)
4. Cambodia

Group J:

1. Japan
2. Malaysia
3. Singapore
4. Guam

Photo: AFC