Football

The AFC U20 Championship's Group A will be held in Việt Nam from September 21-29. Photos of VFF

HÀ NỘI -- The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) conducted the draw for two youth tournaments on June 13 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

A total of 45 teams were divided into 10 groups, five of four and five of five.

The qualification games will be played between September 21-29.

Việt Nam, as hosts of Group A, will entertain Syria, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Guam.

Group B will see defending champions Uzbekistan, Bahrain, Chinese Taipei (host), Cambodia and Nepal.

South Korea, Lebanon, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait (host) and Northern Mariana Islands make up Group C.

Saudi Arabia will host Group D with Australia, Palestine, Afghanistan and Macau their challengers while Group E will feature Tajikistan (hosts), Oman, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and North Korea.

Indonesia (host), Yemen, Timor-Leste and Maldives make up Group F while Group G will see Islamic Republic of Iran, Mongolia, India and Laos (host) hoping to make the finals.

Hosts Thailand will welcome Group H opponents Iraq, Philippines and Brunei Darussalam. Japan, Kyrgyz Republic (host), Myanmar and Turkmenistan are four teams in Group I. Jordan, Qatar (host), Singapore and Hong Kong, China are the teams drawn in Group J.

The top team of each group and five best second-placed will advance to the finals scheduled on February 6-23, 2025, in China.

The Asian championship is a qualification of the U20 World Cup 2025 in Chile.

Coach Hứa Hiền Vinh and players set a target of taking part for a second time at the World Cup after their first historic qualification in 2016.

In the other activity, the U17 competitions will feature 43 teams competing in 10 groups - seven of four each and three of five.

U17 players in training. They will complete at the Asian championship in October.

Việt Nam will host Yemen, Kyrgyzstan and Myanmar in Group I.

Matches will be organised between October 19 and 27.

The 10 group winners and five best second-placed teams will advance to the Finals, with Saudi Arabia scheduled to host the tournament from April 3-20, 2025.

Nine strongest teams will represent Asia at the U17 World Cup 2025. VNS