Team India aims for a better outing in the age group marque continental tourney

The official draws for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U17 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2025 Qualifiers and AFC U20 Asian Cup China PR 2025 Qualifiers were held at the AFC House Headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

In the AFC U17 Asian Cup 2025 Qualifiers, India were drawn alongside hosts Thailand, Brunei Darussalam and Turkmenistan in Group D, the round robin league matches of which will be played between 19-27, October 2024.  India will face Brunei Darussalam in the inaugural group D league match on 23 October, followed by one against Turkmenistan and Thailand on 25 and 27 October respectively.

 The biennial continental tourney as such will witness participation from 43 teams including four times defending champions Japan who were divided into 10 groups - seven of four each and three of five. The 10 group winners and five best second-placed teams among all groups will advance to the Final rounds, with Saudi Arabia scheduled to host the tournament between 3-20, April 2025.

India will aim to qualify for the AFC U17 Asian Cup for the fourth successive time. In their last finals appearance in 2023 in Thailand, the Blue Colts were eliminated in the group stage. India have twice reached the quarter-finals at the AFC U17 Asian Cup - in 2002 and 2018, their best showing.

Before the AFC U17 Asian Cup 2025 Qualifiers, defending champions India will warm up for the marquee event by participating in the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) U17 Championship, to be held in Bhutan between 18-28, September 2024.

On the other hand the AFC U20 Asian Cup 2025 Qualifiers, India were drawn alongside IR Iran, Mongolia and Laos in Group G, the round robin league matches of the same will be hosted by Laos from 21-29 September, 2024.  India will kick-off their Group G campaign with their first league match against Mongolia on 25 September followed by one against IR Iran and local favorites Laos on 27 and 29 September respectively.

In total, 45 teams including reigning champions Uzbekistan, last year’s losing finalist Iraq along with the most successful team South Korea with 12 titles were divided into 10 groups - five groups of four each and five groups of five. The 10 group winners and five best second-placed teams among all groups will advance to the Finals, with China PR scheduled to host the tournament from 6-23 February, 2025.

India will aim to qualify for the AFC U20 Asian Cup for the first time since hosting the tournament in 2006. Their best result at the tournament was joint champions alongside Iran way back in 1974.

Before the AFC U20 Asian Cup 2025 Qualifiers, India will participate in the SAFF U20 Championship, to be held in Nepal from 16-28, August 2024, in their bid to extend their reign for the fourth time.

Draw Results

# AFC U17 Asian Cup Qualifiers 2025:

Group A: IR Iran, Jordan (H*), Syria, Hong Kong, China, DPR Korea
Group B: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia (H), Philippines, Macau
Group C: Korea Republic, China PR (H), Bahrain, Bhutan, Maldives
Group D: Thailand (H), India, Brunei Darussalam, Turkmenistan
Group E: Uzbekistan, Iraq, Chinese Taipei (H), Palestine
Group F: Japan, Qatar (H), Mongolia, Nepal
Group G: Australia, Indonesia, Kuwait (H), Northern Mariana Islands
Group H: Malaysia, Laos (H), United Arab Emirates, Lebanon
Group I: Yemen, Vietnam (H), Kyrgyz Republic, Myanmar
Group J: Tajikistan, Oman, Singapore (H), Guam

# AFC U20 Asian Cup Qualifiers 2025:

Group A: Vietnam (H), Syria, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Guam
Group B: Uzbekistan, Bahrain, Chinese Taipei (H), Cambodia, Nepal
Group C: Korea Republic, Lebanon, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait (H), Northern Mariana Islands
Group D: Australia, Saudi Arabia (H), Palestine, Afghanistan, Macau
Group E: Tajikistan (H), Oman, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, DPR Korea
Group F: Indonesia (H), Yemen, Timor-Leste, Maldives
Group G: IR Iran, Mongolia, India, Laos (H)
Group H: Iraq, Thailand (H), Philippines, Brunei Darussalam
Group I: Japan, Kyrgyz Republic (H), Myanmar, Turkmenistan
Group J: Jordan, Qatar (H), Singapore, Hong Kong, China

*H- Hosts for the Group League Matches