AFC Acting General Secretary Windsor John, assisted by former Qatar internationals Khaled Salman and Badr Bilal, conducted the draw in Doha yesterday.

 

AFC/Doha


Defending Asian Football Confederation Under-22 champions Iraq found themselves alongside regional challengers Yemen, London Olympics bronze medalists Korea Republic and a highly rated Uzbekistan side in a tough looking Group C when the draw for the 16-team AFC U23 Championship was made at a grand ceremony in Doha.
Hosts Qatar, who have called up a raft of players who won the AFC Asian U-19 Championship in Myanmar last year and elevated Spaniard Felix Sanchez to the role of U23 coach, are in Group A where they are joined by East Asian powerhouse China, Iran and Syria.
Nine-time Olympic qualifiers and fourth-place finishers at the London Games Japan are pooled along with Saudi Arabia, DPR Korea and Thailand in Group B, while 1988 quarter-finalists Australia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Vietnam make up Group D.
AFC Acting General Secretary Windsor John conducted the draw, assisted by former Qatar internationals Khaled Salman and Badr Bilal, and attended by a host of dignitaries from the Asian football family.
The U23 Championship, to be played from January 12 to 30, has added relevance as it will double as qualification for the Rio Olympics, to be held later next year. The tournament will be played at the Al Sadd, Al Arabi, Qatar Sports Club and Lekhwiya Stadiums, all of which are situated in and around Qatar’s capital city of Doha.
Prior to the draw, AFC Vice President Saoud  al-Mohannadi and Dato’ Windsor jointly unveiled the new trophy of the tournament while the AFC U23 Championship’s new logo was also revealed.
The logo’s fantastic design represents the AFC’s five regions, with a star in the middle symbolising the promising talent that will be on display at the tournament.
A short video depicting the host nation’s history and diversity was also shown at the event.
AFC Vice President Saoud  al-Mohannadi has expressed the hope that Asia’s future stars will shine brightly in Qatar next January.
Speaking at the official draw, al-Mohannadi, who is also the AFC Competitions Committee Chairman, said the fans and media were sure to be treated to a football feast by the continent’s finest under 23 teams.
“Many of the players will have experienced continental football tournaments in the past through participation in the AFC U-19 and U-16 Championships, or youth and grassroots events,” he said.
“Now, these players, many of whom are already regulars in top teams, are finishing their school and we hope the valuable experience they gain will help them during their appearances at the AFC Asian Cup in the future,” he said.
The top three teams from the competition will represent Asia at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
Qatar Football Association General Secretary Mansoor Mohamed al-Ansari, who is also CEO of the Qatar Local Organising Committee (QLOC), said that QLOC was aiming to surpass the previous matchday experiences witnessed at other successful international football competitions.
“With an exceptional love for the sport and commitment to promote this championship, we’ll further provide fans and guests of all ages with a wide range of community, educational, cultural and fan-engaging activities prior to and during the event,” said al-Ansari.
He added that QLOC was committed to supporting and creating an event that not only sets new standards of excellence, but one which is also a memorable experience.