Hopefuls discover Paris 2024 Asian Qualifiers Round 1 opponents
Kuala Lumpur: The path has been set for the 26 teams competing in the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament 2024 Asian Qualifiers Round 1, following the conclusion of the draw at the AFC House on Thursday.
13/01/2023 09:07:12
Round 1 of the Asian Qualifiers will be divided into five groups of four and two groups of three, with teams competing in a one-round league format in a centralised venue from April 3 to 11.
The hosts for the groups will be announced in due course.
The draw saw Uzbekistan, Jordan, Timor-Leste and Bhutan drawn in Group A while Myanmar, Islamic Republic of Iran, Bangladesh and Maldives will battle in Group B.
Group C has Vietnam, Nepal, Palestine and Afghanistan with Thailand, Mongolia, Singapore and Sri Lanka in Group D.
Philippines, Hong Kong, Tajikistan and Pakistan are the sides in Group E with Chinese Taipei, Indonesia and Lebanon set to vie for the sole automatic spot into the next round in Group F. Group G will see India, Kyrgyz Republic and Turkmenistan facing off.
The winners of each group will advance to Round 2 where they will be joined by the five highest seeded teams – DPR Korea, Japan, Australia, China PR and Korea Republic.
Australia finished fourth in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics while Japan (pictured above) were eliminated in the quarter-finals by Sweden. China’s campaign ended in the group stage.
Four teams from Round 2 – the three group winners and the best-ranked runners-up – will then face off in Round 3 where they will play two pairs of home and away matches with the eventual winners qualifying for the Paris 2024 Women’s Olympic Football Tournament.
Round 1 Draw
Group A: Uzbekistan, Jordan, Timor-Leste, Bhutan
Group B: Myanmar, IR Iran, Bangladesh, Maldives
Group C: Vietnam, Nepal, Palestine, Afghanistan
Group D: Thailand, Mongolia, Singapore, Sri Lanka
Group E: Philippines, Hong Kong, Tajikistan, Pakistan
Group F: Chinese Taipei, Indonesia, Lebanon
Group G: India, Kyrygz Republic, Turkmenistan
Group A: Uzbekistan, Jordan, Timor-Leste, Bhutan
Group B: Myanmar, IR Iran, Bangladesh, Maldives
Group C: Vietnam, Nepal, Palestine, Afghanistan
Group D: Thailand, Mongolia, Singapore, Sri Lanka
Group E: Philippines, Hong Kong, Tajikistan, Pakistan
Group F: Chinese Taipei, Indonesia, Lebanon
Group G: India, Kyrygz Republic, Turkmenistan
Source: AFC
