AFC Futsal Championship 2018 hopefuls learn their opponents

AFC – KUALA LUMPUR, AFC Futsal Championship 2018 hopefuls discovered their qualifying opponents during the official draw at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Thursday.

Teams competing in the qualifiers were divided into four zones – East, ASEAN, South & Central and West where they were seeded within their zones based on the AFC Futsal Championship Uzbekistan 2016 ranking.

In the East Zone and Central & South Zone, seven teams from each zone were drawn into two groups of four and three teams respectively. The matches will be played from November 1 to 11 for the East Zone and October 13 to 22 for the Central & South Zones.

The ASEAN Football Federation Futsal Championship Vietnam 2017 on October 23 to November 3 will serve as the qualification competition for the ASEAN Zone with four slots up for grabs.

In the West Zone, eight teams were drawn into two groups of four teams. The Group Winners and Runners-up from each group will qualify for the 2018 AFC Futsal Championship on February 6 to 18. Sixteen teams will compete in the 2018 AFC Futsal Championship.

The Islamic Republic of Iran emerged Champions in the 2016 AFC Futsal Championship with Uzbekistan the Runners-up while Thailand and Vietnam finished third and fourth respectively .

DRAW RESULT

East Zone
Group A: A1 Japan A2 Chinese Taipei A3 Macau A4 Mongolia

Group B: B1 China PR B2 Korea Republic B3 Hong Kong

South & Central Zone
Group A: A1 Uzbekistan A2 Kyrgyz Republic A3 Turkmenistan A4 Nepal

Group B: B1 Islamic Republic of Iran B2 Tajikistan B3 Afghanistan

West Zone
Group A: A1 Iraq A2 Saudi Arabia A3 United Arab Emirates A4 Bahrain

Group B: B1 Qatar B2 Lebanon B3 Jordan B4 Syria

Photo: AFC