Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Aug 7: Hosts India have been placed in Group D of the AFC U17 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026 Qualifiers, following the official draw held at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Thursday.
India will face Iran, Palestine, Chinese Taipei, and Lebanon in the group stage, with all matches scheduled to take place at The Arena, Ahmedabad, from November 22 to 30, 2025.
India’s Group D Fixtures:
• November 22: Palestine vs India
• November 26: India vs Chinese Taipei
• November 28: India vs Lebanon
• November 30: IR Iran vs India
India, aiming for their 10th appearance in the tournament, were seeded in Pot 2 and placed in a separate hosts-only pot to ensure no clash with other hosting nations during the draw.
Format and Qualification Path
A total of 38 teams have been split across seven groups — three groups of six teams and four groups of five — playing in a centralised round-robin format. The seven group winners will directly qualify for the AFC U17 Asian Cup 2026, joining nine other Asian nations who have secured automatic berths due to their qualification for the FIFA U17 World Cup 2025.
Automatically Qualified Teams:
• Qatar, Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia, Korea Republic, DPR Korea, Japan, Tajikistan, UAE, Indonesia
The AFC U17 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026 is scheduled for May 7 to 24, 2026, and the top eight finishers in that tournament will qualify for the FIFA U17 World Cup 2026 in Qatar.
Full Group Draw:
• Group A: China PR (H), Bangladesh, Bahrain, Brunei Darussalam, Timor-Leste, Sri Lanka
• Group B: Yemen, Laos, Kyrgyz Republic (H), Cambodia, Guam, Pakistan
• Group C: Vietnam (H), Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Northern Mariana Islands, Macau
• Group D: Islamic Republic of Iran, India (H), Palestine, Chinese Taipei, Lebanon
• Group E: Australia, Iraq, Philippines, Jordan (H), Bhutan
• Group F: Thailand (H), Kuwait, Turkmenistan, Mongolia, Maldives
• Group G: Oman, Afghanistan, Myanmar (H), Syria, Nepal
India’s Road Ahead
After missing out on the 2025 edition, the Indian U17 squad will be eager to bounce back under home conditions. With a challenging group featuring former champions Iran, along with seasoned sides like Lebanon and Palestine, the Blue Colts will need strong performances to top the group and qualify for the prestigious continental finals.