
Iran in Pot 2 of AFC U-23 Asian Cup Qualifiers
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) announced on Thursday that the official AFC U-23 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026 Qualifiers Draw will take place on Thursday, 29th May, at 3 pm local time in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the AFC House.
- Sports news -
A total of 44 teams will be sorted into 11 groups to do battle for the Qualifiers, which will take place between 1st and 9th September 2025.
Fifteen berths are up for grabs at the seventh edition of the tournament, which will be hosted by Saudi Arabia for the first time and is set to be played in January 2026.
Champion in 2022, Saudi Arabia, has automatically qualified as host and will be joined by the 11 group winners from the Qualifiers, as well as the overall four best-ranked runners-up.
Each Qualifiers group will be contested in a centralized league format and with teams to be seeded into five pots based on a points system derived from their final rankings across the previous three editions of the Finals.
The pot allocations, with rankings indicated in brackets, are as follow:
Pot 1:Uzbekistan (1), Japan (2), Iraq (3), Korea Republic (5), Australia (7)
Pot 2:Kuwait (14), Iran (15), Turkmenistan (16), Malaysia (17), Bahrain (19), Palestine (20), Syria (21), Yemen (22)
Pot 3:Oman (25), Singapore (26), India (28), Lebanon (29), Laos (30), Timor-Leste (31), Chinese Taipei (32), Philippines (33), Hong Kong, China (34)
Pot 4:Afghanistan (35), Bangladesh (36), Mongolia (37), Guam (39), Pakistan (41), Macau (42), Nepal (43), Brunei Darussalam (44), Sri Lanka (45), Bhutan (46), Northern Mariana Islands (47)
Hosts Pot: Vietnam (6; Seed: 1), Qatar (8;1), Thailand (9;1), Jordan (10;1), Tajikistan (11;1), United Arab Emirates (12;1), Indonesia (13;2), China PR (18;2), Cambodia (23;2), Myanmar (24;3), Kyrgyzstan (27;3)

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Coach Cross: Sivasangari deserves spot in World Tour Finals
PETALING JAYA: National squash player S. Sivasangari's spot in the PSA World Tour Finals in Toronto is evidence of her hard work this year. The 26-year-old made the cut by the skin of her teeth for her first Finals from June 23-27 in Canada after taking the last spot among eight women players. Billed as RM9.73 for the 1st month then RM13.90 thereafters. RM12.33/month RM8.63/month Billed as RM103.60 for the 1st year then RM148 thereafters. Free Trial For new subscribers only


The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
It's not only about goal but grit as M'sia hail Holgado's heroics
Malaysia's Holgado (C) scores a goal during the AFC Asian Cup qualifier Group F football match between Malaysia and Vietnam at the National Stadium Bukit Jalil in Kuala Lumpur on June 10, 2025. - AFP PETALING JAYA: Harimau Malaya debutant Rodrigo Holgado is a man on a mission, one who wears both his heart and ambitions on his sleeve. After winning over Malaysian fans with a heroic debut in Harimau Malaya colours, the Argentine-born striker wasted no time in turning his focus back to his club duties, proving that his commitment stretches far beyond borders. Without much rest, Holgado hopped on a flight almost immediately after the match to return to Colombia, where his club America de Cali are chasing the league title. The 29-year-old Holgado was the talk of Bukit Jalil on Tuesday night, not just for his goal in Malaysia's commanding 4-0 victory over Vietnam in the 2027 Asian Cup third-round qualifiers, but for the sheer grit he displayed. Bloodied after a head collision with a Vietnam defender, he refused to come off, choosing instead to battle through the pain and cap off his night with a 59th-minute strike that sealed his name in the hearts of Malaysian fans. "A dream night," he said on his social media page yesterday. "Very happy to represent this beautiful country and fulfill this dream in my soccer career." The striker was effusive in his gratitude – not just to the fans and coaching staff of Harimau Malaya, but also to his club and their supporters for standing by him during a crucial point in their championship campaign. "I want to thank everyone who was part of it my teammates for the welcome, the coaching staff, and all the people of this wonderful country who made me feel so happy from the first minute," he said. "To America de Cali and the people above all, for supporting me despite competing at this crucial moment in the championship. "I promise to continue defending the jersey until the very end, as I always have, and to give my all to achieve that title." From bleeding on the pitch in Bukit Jalil to flying halfway across the world in pursuit of glory in Colombia, Holgado is proving that passion knows no borders.


New Straits Times
3 hours ago
- New Straits Times
FAM grateful to Tunku Ismail for revolutionising the national team
Previous Next KUALA LUMPUR: The national football team revolution, engineered by the Regent of Johor Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, has taken off like a rocket. It has propelled Malaysia to the top of Group F and virtually into the 2027 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia. This has led to the FA of Malaysia (FAM) expressing its gratitude to Tunku Ismail for his efforts and vision in revolutionising the national team. FAM president Datuk Joehari Ayub said Tunku Ismail's influence is already bearing fruit, with Malaysia's resounding 4-0 win over Vietnam in the qualifier at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil on Tuesday. "That victory was incredibly special. After 11 long years, we finally defeated Vietnam, one of Southeast Asia's football powerhouses," he said. "On behalf of the FAM executive committee, I would like to extend my sincere appreciation and thanks to Tunku Ismail for his initiative and commitment to transforming Harimau Malaya. "We are truly grateful to His Highness for his constant support, concern and backing in helping us improve the national team. "This is just the beginning of what I believe is a very promising new chapter for Harimau Malaya and Malaysian football as a whole " He also thanked Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the government for their financial support in strengthening the national squad. "The allocation from the government will no doubt boost the players' morale and drive them to achieve even greater success in the future," he said.