Pakistan placed in Group D of AFC U23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024 Qualifiers

Pakistan were placed in Group D of the AFC U23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024 Qualifiers alongside Bahrain, host, Japan, 2016 winners, and Palestine.

The draw took place at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Thursday.

This will be Pakistan’s first AFC U23 Asian Cup qualifiers since 2015. 

43 teams will compete in the qualifiers, which will be held from September 4 to 12 this year at 11 centralised venues.

The teams were divided into 11 groups – 10 groups of four teams each, with the last group containing three.

Defending champions Saudi Arabia were drawn in Group J while 2022 runners-up Uzbekistan were placed in Group E. 

The 11 group winners and four best second-placed teams, after conclusion of matches in a single round-robin format, will qualify for the final round. 

The AFC U23 Asian Cup Qatar Finals will take place from April 15 to May 3, 2024.  

Qatar’s matches will be treated as friendlies since is qualified for the tournament as hosts. 

Draw Result

Group A: Jordan (H), Syria, Oman, Brunei Darussalam

Group B: Korea Republic (H), Myanmar, Krygyz Republic, Qatar

Group C: Vietnam (H), Singapore, Yemen, Guam

Group D: Japan, Bahrain (H), Palestine, Pakistan

Group E: Uzbekistan (H), IR Iran, Hong Kong, Afghanistan

Group F: Iraq, Kuwait (H), Timor Leste, Macau

Group G: UAE, India, Maldives, China PR (H)

Group H: Thailand (H), Malaysia, Bangladesh, Philippines

Group I: Australia, Tajikistan (H), Laos, DPR Korea

Group J: Saudi Arabia (H), Cambodia, Lebanon, Mongolia

Group K: Turkmenistan, Indonesia (H), Chinese Taipei