Tehran Times - Eight teams have their sights set on overcoming one final qualifying hurdle to secure their place at the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup Indonesia 2024.
The second round of Qualifiers will run from Sept. 19 to 24 and involves two groups of four, with the top two teams from each to join the three highest-seeded sides from the AFC U16 Women’s Championship Thailand 2019 – current holders Japan, DPR Korea and China PR - and hosts Indonesia in the Finals.
The ninth edition of the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup is set to be played between April 7 and 20 in 2024 and is the third edition – after 2011 and 2019 – to feature two qualifying rounds.
Thailand and Vietnam will serve as centralised hosts for Group A and B respectively, which will both be contested in a single round-robin league format.
The only former champion among the eight teams, Korea Republic will open the qualifying campaign against Group A rivals India on Sept. 19 at the Buriram City Stadium.
Thailand will get their campaign underway in the evening as they face Iran at the same venue. Third in 2005, the Thais are aiming to join China PR and Japan as the only teams to appear at every edition – Korea Republic are the only other side who can do likewise – and come up against an Iran outfit looking for a third qualification after successfully making it to the 2013 and 2015 editions.
Group B consists of Australia, Bangladesh, Vietnam and the Philippines.