New Delhi, Feb 12 (IANS) India have been drawn in a challenging Group D alongside defending champions Uzbekistan, Australia, and DPR Korea for the AFC U17 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026, following the Final Draw held at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Thursday.

The tournament will be held from May 5 to 22 in Saudi Arabia, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the quarterfinals and securing qualification for the FIFA U17 World Cup Qatar 2026.

India qualified for the continental showpiece for the 10th time in their history after an impressive campaign in the qualifiers, where they finished ahead of Iran, Lebanon, Palestine, and Chinese Taipei. The Blue Colts will open their Group D campaign against Australia, followed by matches against Uzbekistan and DPR Korea.

Uzbekistan entered the tournament as defending champions and qualified automatically. Australia, who were eliminated in the group stage of the 2025 edition, booked their place in 2026 with victories over Jordan, Bhutan, and the Philippines in the qualifiers. DPR Korea, a two-time former champion, reached the semi-finals in 2025 and qualified automatically for the current edition.

The draw has set up a competitive group, with India facing three sides with strong recent records at the U17 level. In Group A, hosts Saudi Arabia were drawn alongside Tajikistan, Thailand, and Myanmar. Group B comprises Japan, Indonesia, China PR, and Qatar, while Group C features the Korea Republic, Yemen, Vietnam, and the United Arab Emirates.

With a FIFA U17 World Cup berth at stake, India will aim to build on their qualifying momentum and make a strong impression on the continental stage.

AFC U17 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026 final draw results:

Group A: Saudi Arabia (Host), Tajikistan, Thailand, Myanmar

Group B: Japan, Indonesia, China PR, Qatar

Group C: Korea Republic, Yemen, Vietnam, United Arab Emirates

Group D: Uzbekistan, Australia, India, DPR Korea

–IANS

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