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The quest to reach the AFC U-23 Asian Cup – Qatar 2024 begins for 42 teams next week as they aim to join the hosts at the tournament proper next year.
Over the course of a three-matchday week between September 6 to 12, 11 groups – nine of four and two of three – in the Qualifiers will each be played at a centralised venue in a single round-robin format.
All the group winners, together with the four best second-placed teams overall, will form the final cast of 16 alongside automatically-qualified hosts Qatar at the sixth edition of the competition, set to be played between April 15 to May 3, 2024.
Eight teams – Australia, Iraq, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan – have been present at every edition to date, while 18 sides are seeking a maiden appearance in 2024.
The Qualifiers will get underway on the southeastern coast of the South Korea, where the Changwon Football Center hosts Group B. Myanmar, whose sole qualification came at the inaugural edition in 2013 when it was known as the AFC Under-22 Championship, take on the Kyrgyz Republic at 4pm local time, with the latter having never qualified.
The home side – champions in 2020 when it was known as the AFC U23 Championship for the last time – then welcome Qatar at 8pm. Qatar are set to be the first Member Association to host the AFC U23 Asian Cup twice and all their fixtures will be considered as friendly matches, not to be taken into account when calculating the final group rankings.
India and the Maldives, both looking to make it through the Qualifiers for the first time, are next up as the first pair of Group G sides in action at 4:30pm at the Dalian Sports Center Stadium. Hosts China, seeking a fifth qualification, then swing into action at 7:35pm against three-time Quarterfinalists United Arab Emirates at the Dalian Suoyuwan Stadium.
Seeking a first ever qualification, Singapore make the short trip to Vietnam for their Group C campaign and face Yemen – who appeared in the first two editions – at 4pm in their opener at the Viet Tri Stadium. Following that, Vietnam take to the pitch at the same venue at 7pm to face Guam, who will participate in the Qualifiers for the first time.
In neighbouring Thailand, Group H will commence at 4:30pm when Malaysia – looking for a second straight qualification – take on Bangladesh at the Chonburi Stadium. The hosts, whose best finish was reaching the Quarterfinals in 2020, then entertain the Philippines – seeking their first qualification – at the same venue at 8:30pm.
Uzbekistan – champions in 2018 and runners-up at the most recent edition in 2022 – will host the Qualifiers for a third time as they stage Group E in Tashkent. Iran, who missed out on qualifying last time out on goal difference, face a Hong Kong side that has never qualified in the first match at 5pm at Lokomotiv Stadium. The Uzbeks then start their campaign at 7pm against Afghanistan at the JAR Stadium.
The trio of Turkmenistan, Indonesia and Chinese Taipei will do battle in Group K, where the latter two teams are hunting qualification for the first time. Turkmenistan, whose debut appearance in 2022 saw them reach the Quarterfinals, square off against Chinese Taipei at 7pm at the Manahan Stadium in Surakarta. Hosts Indonesia then begin their journey three days later on September 9 at 7pm against Chinese Taipei at the same venue.
Following the withdrawal of North Korea, Group I is the second group with three teams and will take place in the Tajik capital of Dushanbe. Australia, who placed third in 2020 and fourth in 2022, duel with a Laos side that has never qualified, at 8:30pm at the Republican Central Stadium. The latter will be back in action three days later against Tajikistan, whose maiden tournament qualification also came in 2022, at 8:30pm.
Defending champions Saudi Arabia, whose historic triumph in June last year made them the fifth different winner in as many editions, will host Group J as they welcome three opponents that are all aiming to make history by qualifying for the first time: Cambodia, Lebanon and Mongolia. All the matches will be played at the Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Sports City in Abha, with Cambodia and Lebanon going first at 4pm before the Saudis spar with Mongolia at 7pm.
Quarterfinalists in 2013 and 2020, Syria will open Group A against Oman, who are looking for a return after missing out on the last two Finals, with kick-off set for 5:30pm at the Prince Mohammad Stadium in Zarqa City. Later that evening, hosts Jordan embark on their path against a Brunei Darussalam aiming for first-time qualification at 9pm.
Inaugural winners in 2013, Iraq – one of two teams to have never lost across five editions of Qualifiers alongside South Korea – are scheduled to play a Macau side that has never qualified at 6pm at the Kuwait Sports Club Stadium in Kuwait City in Group F. Hosts Kuwait bowed out in the Group Stage in their two appearances to date (2013 and 2022) and will hope to surpass that, but first have to overcome Timor-Leste in their opening qualifier at 8pm at the Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium.
In Group D, Bahrain – hosting the Qualifiers for a third consecutive occasion – are looking to qualify for only the second time and start by battling Palestine, who reached the last eight on their debut in 2018, at 6:30pm at the Sheikh Ali Bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Stadium in Arad. Subsequently, 2016 champions Japan face Pakistan – hoping third time is the charm after unsuccessful attempts in 2013 and 2016 – at 9:30pm at the same venue
*All times indicated are in respective local times
