The India U23 men’s national team was placed in Group H for the AFC U23 Asian Cup Qualifiers, after the draw took place at the AFC House in Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur on May 29 2025. The group also includes Qatar, Bahrain and Brunei Darussalam, who are paired with India. As the highest-seeded team in this competition, Qatar will host Group H, with games to be played within a nine-day period starting September 1, 2025. All of the 44 teams were grouped into 11 groups of four each. Seven of the 16 teams in the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026 will be chosen from the group winners and the best four runners-up, with hosts Saudi Arabia rounding out the list.
India U23 Drawn In Pot 3 For AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers
The ranking of the teams for seeding came from their final scores in the three prior editions of the tournament. The Indian team wound up in Pot 3. India chose Naushad Moosa as the coach for their U23 national squad earlier on. After assuming responsibility for the U23s on June 1, team training begins in Kolkata before they travel to Tajikistan for two friendly preparation matches, against Tajikistan (June 18) and Kyrgyz Republic (June 21).
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Draw Result Of AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers
Group A: Jordan (H), Turkmenistan, Chinese Taipei, Bhutan
Group B: Japan, Kuwait, Myanmar (H), Afghanistan
Group C: Vietnam (H), Yemen, Singapore, Bangladesh
Group D: Australia, China (H), Timor-Leste, Northern Mariana Islands
Group E: Uzbekistan, Palestine, Kyrgyz Republic (H), Sri Lanka
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Group F: Thailand (H), Malaysia, Lebanon, Mongolia
Group G: Iraq, Cambodia (H), Oman, Pakistan
Group H: Qatar (H), Bahrain, India, Brunei Darussalam
Group I: United Arab Emirates (H), IR Iran, Hong Kong China, Guam
Group J: Korea Republic, Indonesia (H), Laos, Macau
Group K: Tajikistan, Syria, Philippines, Nepal
