The 2023 AFC U-17 Junior Cup Draw Ceremony: Everything You Need to Know

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has scheduled the draw ceremony for the 2023 AFC U-17 Junior Cup. The tournament is a much-awaited event among young football enthusiasts, and the draw will be held in the Thai capital, Bangkok, on March 30, 2023. The event will take place at Swissotel Bangkok Ratchada at 2 PM. The AFC has announced that the tournament will take place in Bangkok and Chonburi, Thailand, over a period of 18 days, from June 15 to July 2. In this article, we will discuss everything you need to know about the 2023 AFC U-17 Junior Cup, including its history, format, qualified teams, and draw ceremony.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. History of the AFC U-17 Junior Cup
3. Format of the Tournament
4. Qualified Teams
5. The Draw Ceremony
6. Conclusion
7. FAQs

1. Introduction

The AFC U-17 Junior Cup is a biennial international football tournament organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). The tournament is open to all under-17 national teams in the AFC region. The first edition of the tournament was held in 1985 in China, and since then, it has been held every two years. The tournament aims to provide a platform for young footballers to showcase their skills and prepare for future competitions.

2. History of the AFC U-17 Junior Cup

The AFC U-17 Junior Cup has a rich history of 38 years, with the first edition held in 1985. Since then, the tournament has been held every two years, with the exception of 2003, when it was held three years after the previous edition. The tournament has been a launchpad for many young talents who have gone on to represent their national teams at the senior level.

3. Format of the Tournament

The tournament consists of 16 teams, which are divided into four groups of four teams each. The teams in each group play against each other in a round-robin format, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the knockout stage. The knockout stage consists of quarterfinals, semifinals, and the final.

4. Qualified Teams

The qualification for the 2023 AFC U-17 Junior Cup took place in October 2022. The tournament saw 47 teams competing for 16 spots. The qualified teams are:

1. Japan
2. South Korea
3. North Korea
4. China
5. Australia
6. Indonesia
7. Thailand (host)
8. Vietnam
9. Iran
10. Saudi Arabia
11. United Arab Emirates
12. Qatar
13. Iraq
14. Oman
15. Bahrain
16. Yemen

5. The Draw Ceremony

The draw ceremony for the 2023 AFC U-17 Junior Cup will take place on March 30, 2023, at the Swissotel Bangkok Ratchada. The ceremony will start at 2 PM and will be attended by representatives of the participating teams, as well as members of the AFC. The ceremony will be conducted using a lottery system, and the 16 teams will be divided into four groups of four teams each.

6. Conclusion

The AFC U-17 Junior Cup is a much-awaited tournament among young football enthusiasts in the AFC region. The tournament provides a platform for young talents to showcase their skills and prepare for future competitions. The 2023 edition of the tournament will be held in Bangkok and Chonburi, Thailand, from June 15 to July