The draw for the 2023 AFC U-20 Asian Cup in Uzbekistan has been set with Qatar’s young footballers in Group B, facing Australia, Vietnam, and Iran.
Held in Uzbekistan, 16 teams were drawn into four groups set to kick off next March from the 1st to the 18th.
Hosts Uzbekistan was placed in Group A alongside Indonesia, Iraq, and Syria.
Group C will hold South Korea, Tajikistan, Jordan, and Oman, with Group D setting Saudi Arabia, Japan, China, and Kyrgyzstan.
After a four-year pandemic absence from the tournament, South Korea will return to the regional pitch as favourites.
The South Koreans are among the most successful teams in Asia, with twelve AFC U-20 titles.
Myanmar is absent from the tournament, though the Southeast Asian nation is the second most successful team with seven titles.
Winning the tournament only once in 2014, Qatar will have a challenging campaign to be crowned champions once again.
Facing Iran, the country’s young men have made significant progress despite fronting a 47-year title drought.
Australia and Vietnam have never won any finals, only going as far as the semi-finals.
The top four teams in the Uzbekistan holding will be booked to represent the continent of Asia in the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2023, held in Indonesia from May 20 to June 11, 2023.
