Asian Cup 2019 draw pits India against Kyrgyzstan

Abu Dhabi (AFP) – India was pitted against Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar and Macau when the draw for the final round of qualifying for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup took place Monday.

India, which like other Asian nations has invested heavily in football in recent years, is hoping to reach its first Asian Cup finals since 2011.

The final qualifying round sees six groups of four battling it out for the remaining 12 spots available.

The winner and runner-up from each group will qualify for the finals, which are held every four years.

Australia are the current holders.

The 2019 tournament, which takes place in the UAE, will be contested for the first time by 24 teams. The current format features only 16 nations. 

Qualifiers begin later this year on March 28.

The official logo for the tournament was also unveiled prior to Monday’s draw.

Group A: Kyrgyzstan, India, Myanmar, Macau.

Group B: North Korea, Hong Kong, Lebanon, Malaysia.

Group C: Jordan, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Cambodia

Group D: Oman, Palestine, Maldives, Bhutan.

Group E: Bahrain, Turkmenistan, Taiwan, Singapore

Group F: Philippines, Tajikistan, Yemen, Nepal.