Bahrain get seeding for Asian Cup draw

TDT | Manama                                                

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com     

Bahrain are in pot three for the AFC Asian Cup 2023 final draw, which is set to take place on May 11 in Doha, Qatar.

The seeding for the draw has been revealed by the Asian Football Confederation following the release of the latest edition of the FIFA World Ranking.

As with the previous editions of Asia’s crown jewel, Qatar have been allocated the first position in pot one ahead of the draw, to be held at the Katara Opera House to ensure that the host nation commences the tournament with the opening match, scheduled for January 12, 2024.

Joining the hosts and defending champions in pot one are the teams ranked from second to sixth in Asia in the latest FIFA World Ranking, namely four-time winners Japan, three-time champions Iran, two-time winners South Korea, 2015 champions Australia, and Saudi Arabia, who will be aiming to claim their fourth continental crown.

Pot two will comprise 2007 champions Iraq, 2019 hosts the UAE, Oman, 2011 semi-finalists Uzbekistan, two-time runners up China, and Jordan.

Meanwhile, joining Bahrain in pot three are Syria, Palestine, Vietnam, Kyrgyz Republic and Lebanon. India, debutants Tajikistan, Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Indonesia will complete the line-up in pot four.

Similar to the expanded 2019 edition of the AFC Asian Cup in the UAE, the 24 teams will be divided into six groups of four teams each, with the top two and four best thirdplaced teams advancing into the final 16 of the competition before the Asian champions are crowned on February 10.