PTV - Iranian referee Alireza Faghani and linesman Reza Sokhandan will officiate at the forthcoming 2016 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-23 Championship in the Persian Gulf kingdom of Qater, which acts as the qualifiers for the Rio Olympics men’s soccer tournament.

On Sunday, the soccer governing body in Asia and Australia appointed Faghani and Sokhandan to referee at the final round of the 2016 AFC U-23 Asian Cup.

The 2016 AFC U-23 Championship will be held in Qatar between January 12 and January 30. A total of 16 teams will play in the tournament.

Iran’s national under-23 soccer team is pitted against squads from China, Qatar and Syria in Group A.

While Japan, North Korea, Saudi Arabia and Thailand play in Group B, Iraq, South Korea, Uzbekistan and Yemen form Group C. Australia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Vietnam are drawn in Group D.

The Iranian outfit is scheduled to face the Syrian side in its opening match at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in the Qatari capital city of Doha on January 12, 2016.

The top three teams of the 2016 AFC U-23 Championship will qualify for the 2016 Summer Olympics men’s soccer tournament in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.