India to face Hong Kong, Afghanistan, and Cambodia in Asian Cup 2023 qualifiers
For the third round of the AFC Asian Cup 2023 Qualifiers, the Indian men's football team has been placed in Group D alongside Hong Kong, Afghanistan, and Cambodia. India is the highest-ranked side in the group, at 104th, while Hong Kong is 148th, Afghanistan is 150th, and Cambodia is 171st.
On Thursday, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) held a virtual draw at its headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The 24 countries will compete in six groups for the remaining 11 berths in the AFC Asian Cup 2023, which will be hosted in China next year.
Thirteen countries, including hosts China, have already qualified for next year's 24-team event. Due to COVID-19, each group for the AFC Asian Cup 2023 Qualifiers will be hosted at a central location. The Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK), better known as the Salt Lake Stadium, in Kolkata will host Group D.
In a single-leg round-robin style, the teams in each group will play each other once. Each group's top two teams, as well as the five best second-placed teams, will qualify for the AFC Asian Cup 2023.
On June 8, 11, and 14, the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers will take place over three days. On June 8, India will face Cambodia, Afghanistan on June 11, and Hong Kong on June 14.
After finishing behind reigning Asian champions Qatar and Oman in Group E, India was unable to qualify for the Asian Cup in the second round of qualifying. The qualifications will conclude with the third round.
GROUPS FOR THE QUALIFIERS
Group A: Jordan, Kuwait, Indonesia, Nepal
Group B: Palestine, Philippines, Yemen, Mongolia
Group C: Uzbekistan, Thailand, Maldives, Sri Lanka
Group D: India, Hong Kong, Afghanistan, Cambodia
Group E: Bahrain, Turkmenistan, Malaysia, Bangladesh