India have qualified for back-to-back editions of the tournament for the first time. The one in Qatar capital will be their fifth appearance in the tournament.
Doha: India have been drawn in tough group with heavyweights Australia, Syria and Uzbekistan on Thursday in the 2024 AFC Asian Cup, to be held in Doha in January. India will be in Group B in the tournament proper.
India, who have had a successful qualifying campaign for the continental showpiece, were in pot 4 in the draw that was conducted in Doha. Twenty-four teams were divided into four pots, and drawn into six groups of four teams each for the tournament that was originally scheduled to take place in China this summer.
India have qualified for back-to-back editions of the tournament for the first time. The one in Qatar capital will be their fifth appearance in the tournament. In the last edition, India started with a convincing win against Thailand but lost their last two matches to bow out of the tournament after raising hopes.
Qatar as hosts were automatically drawn in Group A and will play the tournament opener. Iran were placed in Group C as Japan were drawn in Group D. South Korea were placed in Group E while Saudi Arabia were drawn in Group F.
In other groups, tournament hosts and defending champions Qatar are the top seeded team in Group A with their title defence to begin against two-time runners-up China, followed by matches against Tajikistan and Lebanon.
Three-time winners Iran, 1996 runners-up United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, China and Palestine will vie for the knockout stage spots in Group C while record four-time winners Japan, Indonesia, 2007 champions Iraq and Vietnam were drawn in Group D.
Twice champions South Korea, the top seeded team in Group E, will have Malaysia, Jordan and Bahrain to contend with while Group F will have three-time winners Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Kyrgyz Republic and Oman fighting for the knockout stage spots.
The top two teams from each group will directly qualify for the Round of 16, while the four best third-placed teams will join them in the knockouts to make up the numbers. India were eliminated in the groups stage in the last edition in the UAE, despite kicking off their campaign with a convincing win against Thailand.
Groupings:
Group A – Qatar, China, Tajikistan, Lebanon
Group B – Australia, Uzbekistan, Syria, India
Group C – Iran, UAE, Hong Kong, Palestine
Group D – Japan, Indonesia, Iraq, Vietnam
Group E – South Korea, Malaysia, Jordan, Bahrain
Group F – Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Kyrgyz Republic, Oman.
