AIPS ASIA News:

The stage is set and anticipation is building as the Continent’s national teams gear up to secure their spot in the AFC U17 Asian Cup™ Saudi Arabia 2025. The Qualifiers, kicking off on Saturday, October 19, will witness Asia’s brightest young talent engage in fierce contests for a chance to shine on the journey to football glory.

Following Lebanon’s withdrawal since the draw in June this year, forty-two sides have been split into 10 groups – six of four, one of three and three of five – to battle in a centralised league format, which runs until October 27.

All group winners, along with the five best-placed runners-up, will progress to the 20^th edition of the Finals, with two-time winners Saudi Arabia (1985, 1988) automatically qualifying as they host the tournament for the second time after 1992.

Reigning champions Japan will aim to qualify for a 15^th consecutive time and 17^th overall – both records – while 11 teams are targeting a maiden Finals appearance: Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Chinese Taipei, Guam, Macau, Maldives, Mongolia, Northern Mariana Islands, Palestine and the Philippines.

Two of those sides go head to head in the very first match of these Qualifiers on October 19, which features the Maldives and Bhutan kicking off Group C at 3.30pm at the Dalian Football Youth Training Centre. It is the 12^th and seventh qualifying respectively for the pair, with Bhutan searching for their first ever victory. At 7.35pm, two-time winners China PR (1992, 2004) host Bahrain at the Dalian Puwan Stadium as they target a 16^th qualification, with the latter – runners-up in 1988 – hoping to seal an eighth appearance and first since 2008. On October 21, last year’s finalists Korea Republic – champions in 1986 and 2002 – will take on Bhutan at the Dalian Football Youth Training Centre at 7.35pm, in search of a 16^th qualification and sixth in a row.

Macau are participating in their 10^th Qualifiers and will aim to win their first ever point when they face the Philippines, taking part for a 13^th time, in Group B at 4pm at the National Sports Complex of Cambodia in Phnom Penh. Cambodia then take to the pitch in front of their home fans for their ninth Qualifiers at 7pm against Bangladesh, who last qualified in 2006 and are targeting a seventh Finals. Afghanistan, whose two Finals have come in the last two editions, start their quest for a third on October 21 at 4pm against the Philippines.

The hosts for Group A, 2010 quarter-finalists Jordan last appeared in 2018 and are hunting a fourth qualification. They face Syria, who finished fourth in 2006 and have not qualified since their sixth Finals in 2014, at 5pm at the Prince Mohammad Stadium in Zarqa. Champions in 2010 and 2014, DPR Korea have not featured since 2018 and are eyeing a 12^th Finals as they open their Qualifiers at 9pm against Hong Kong, China, whose sole appearance to date came in 2014. Having reached the last four in 2023, the Islamic Republic of Iran will aim to qualify for a tenth consecutive Finals and 13^th overall, and the 2008 winners will take on Hong Kong, China on October 21 at 5pm.

The remaining seven groups commence on October 23, starting with Group E at New Taipei’s Fu Jen University. Uzbekistan, champions in 2012 and semi-finalists in 2023, have previously qualified on 10 occasions while their opponents at 2pm, Palestine, are contesting their 13^th Qualifiers. The home side, Chinese Taipei, will play at 6.30pm as they seek qualification to the Finals for the first time; 2016 champions Iraq, looking to seal a 11^th qualification, are the opposition.

Group D’s backdrop is provided by Chonburi Stadium and finds India, searching for a fourth straight qualification and 10^th overall, up against a Brunei Darussalam side participating in their ninth Qualifiers at 4pm. Thailand, the 1998 champions eyeing a sixth straight Finals and 13^th overall, will expect to be backed by a partisan home crowd for their opener at 8pm against Turkmenistan, whose sole qualification came in 2008.

Malaysia, who have six Finals under their belt, will try to make it five qualifications in a row when their Group H campaign starts at 7pm at the Lao National Stadium KM16 in Vientiane against the United Arab Emirates. Home side Laos’ hunt for a fourth Finals appearance starts on October 25 against the United Arab Emirates, who last appeared for a seventh instance in 2016.

In Group I, Yemen are on a quest to notch their fourth consecutive qualification and seventh overall, and face a Myanmar side that last qualified – for a fourth time – in 2006 at 4pm at the Viet Tri Stadium. Meanwhile, hosts Vietnam have their sights set on a fourth straight Finals and ninth in total, as they welcome the Kyrgyz Republic – whose sole involvement came in 2016 – at 7pm.

Runners-up in 2018, Tajikistan can achieve a third consecutive qualification and fifth in total, with a Guam side involved in their 14^th Qualifiers in their way first in Group J at 5pm at the Bishan Stadium. Singapore will aim to rise to the challenge of qualifying for a third occasion and first since 2008 on home turf, starting with Oman at 8pm as the two-time champions (1996, 2000) come calling with an eye on an 11^th appearance and first since 2018.

Qatar will have a 12^th qualification on their minds when the 1990 champions open Group F at 5.45pm against Mongolia, taking part in their ninth qualifying campaign, at the Aspire Academy Pitch 7 in Doha. With their record fourth title in 2023, Japan also became the first ever team to retain the crown, and their road to making it a three-peat starts at 7.45pm at the Hamad Bin Khalifa Stadium in Doha against Nepal, whose last of three appearances to date came in 2014.
                                                                    
The final pair of fixtures on the opening matchday are scheduled to be played in Group G at the Abdullah Al Khalifa Stadium in Mishref. On home soil at 5.30pm, Kuwait are aiming to end an absence stretching back to 2014 with a sixth qualification as they meet Indonesia, who last made the Finals in 2018 and are eyeing a seventh involvement. Australia are the form team with 21 consecutive wins in the Qualifiers, dating back to 2011 and have qualified for each of the last seven Finals; they meet the Northern Mariana Islands, who will be hoping to pick up their first ever point in their sixth Qualifiers, at 8.30pm.

Courtesy AFC