Tue, 30 Nov, -0001
Kuala Lumpur: Myanmar and Thailand will host the next edition of the AFC U-19 and AFC U-16 championships respectively in 2014. The hosts will also get a direct slot in the tournament proper.
The Organising Committee for the AFC Youth Competitions approved the hosting rights of the U-19 and U-16 Finals to the Myanmar Football Federation and Football Association of Thailand respectively on 9 April and the decisions were ratified by the AFC Executive Committee via correspondence on 18 April.
Both the finals will feature 16 teams including the automatic entrants who will play in the same format as the previous finals.
Uzbekistan claimed their first title in the last AFC U-16 Championship in 2012 hosted by Iran after beating Japan.
The U-16 championship is also the qualification stage for the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup in the UAE and the top four teams in the U16s – Uzbekistan, Japan, Iran and Iraq – will represent Asia at the competition.
The 2012 U-19 crown was snatched by Korea Republic who won the final beating Iraq on penalties in the UAE.
Apart from Korea Republic and Iraq, Uzbekistan and Australia have qualified for the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup to be hosted by Turkey.