2016 AFC U-19 Championship qualification

The 2016 AFC U-19 Championship qualification decided the participating teams of the 2016 AFC U-19 Championship. The tournament is the 39th edition of the AFC U-19 Championship, the biennial international youth football championship organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) for the men's under-19 national teams of Asia.

A total of 16 teams qualified to play in the final tournament, including Bahrain who qualified automatically as hosts but also competed in the qualifying stage.^[1]

Same as previous editions, the tournament acts as the AFC qualifiers for the FIFA U-20 World Cup. The top four teams of the final tournament will qualify for the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup in South Korea as the AFC representatives, besides South Korea who qualified automatically as hosts. If South Korea are among the top four teams, the fifth-placed team (i.e., the losing quarter-finalist with the best record in the tournament) will also qualify for the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

Draw

The draw for the qualifiers was held on 5 June 2015 at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur.^[2] A total of 43 teams entered the qualifying stage and were drawn into ten groups.

• West Zone, with 25 entrants from Central Asia, South Asia and West Asia, had one group of five teams and five groups of four teams.
• East Zone, with 18 entrants from ASEAN and East Asia, had two groups of five teams and two groups of four teams.

The teams were seeded according to their performance in the previous season in 2014.

	Pot 1	Pot 2	Pot 3	Pot 4	Pot 5
West Zone (Groups A–F)	Iran  Iraq  Qatar  United Arab Emirates  Uzbekistan  Yemen	Bahrain  Bangladesh  Kuwait  Oman  Palestine  Saudi Arabia	India  Jordan  Lebanon  Maldives  Pakistan  Turkmenistan	Afghanistan  Kyrgyzstan    Nepal  Sri Lanka  Syria  Tajikistan	Bhutan
East Zone (Groups G–J)	Japan  Myanmar  North Korea  Thailand	Australia  China  South Korea  Vietnam	Hong Kong  Malaysia  Philippines  Singapore	Brunei  Chinese Taipei  Laos  Macau	Northern Mariana1  Timor-Leste

Did not enter
West Zone	None
East Zone	Cambodia  Guam  Indonesia (suspended by FIFA)[3]  Mongolia

Note:

¹ Non-FIFA member, ineligible for U-20 World Cup.

Player eligibility

Players born on or after 1 January 1997 are eligible to compete in the tournament.^[4]

Format

In each group, teams play each other once at a centralised venue. The ten group winners and the five best runners-up from all groups qualify for the final tournament. If Bahrain are one of the group winners or best runners-up, the sixth-best runner-up also qualifies for the final tournament.^[1]

Tiebreakers

The teams were ranked according to points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss). If tied on points, tiebreakers would be applied in the following order:^[4]

1. Greater number of points obtained in the group matches between the teams concerned;
2. Goal difference resulting from the group matches between the teams concerned;
3. Greater number of goals scored in the group matches between the teams concerned;
4. If, after applying criteria 1 to 3, teams still have an equal ranking, criteria 1 to 3 are reapplied exclusively to the matches between the teams in question to determine their final rankings. If this procedure does not lead to a decision, criteria 5 to 9 apply;
5. Goal difference in all the group matches;
6. Greater number of goals scored in all the group matches;
7. Penalty shoot-out if only two teams are involved and they are both on the field of play;
8. Fewer score calculated according to the number of yellow and red cards received in the group matches (1 point for a single yellow card, 3 points for a red card as a consequence of two yellow cards, 3 points for a direct red card, 4 points for a yellow card followed by a direct red card);
9. Drawing of lots.

Groups

The matches are played between 28 September – 6 October 2015 for Groups G and H (five-team groups); 2–6 October 2015 for all other groups (four-team groups).^[5]

Key to colours in group tables
Group winners and best five runners-up, and Bahrain as hosts, qualify for the finals.
Withdrawn

Group A

• All matches were held in Bangladesh.
• Times listed are UTC+6.

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Uzbekistan	3	3	0	0	14	0	+14	9	Final tournament
2	Bangladesh (H)	3	1	1	1	3	5	−2	4
3	Sri Lanka	3	1	0	2	2	5	−3	3
4	Bhutan	3	0	1	2	1	10	−9	1
5	Pakistan	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Withdrew

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Group B

• All matches were held in Saudi Arabia.
• Times listed are UTC+3.

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Saudi Arabia (H)	3	3	0	0	11	1	+10	9	Final tournament
2	Yemen	3	2	0	1	2	2	0	6
3	Turkmenistan	3	1	0	2	4	7	−3	3
4	Syria	3	0	0	3	2	9	−7	0

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Group C

• All matches were held in Palestine.
• Times listed are UTC+3.

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	United Arab Emirates	3	3	0	0	15	0	+15	9	Final tournament
2	Palestine (H)	3	2	0	1	3	5	−2	6
3	Afghanistan	3	1	0	2	2	5	−3	3
4	India	3	0	0	3	0	10	−10	0

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Group D

• All matches were held in Qatar.
• Times listed are UTC+3.

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Qatar (H)	3	3	0	0	13	2	+11	9	Final tournament
2	Oman	3	1	1	1	5	3	+2	4
3	Lebanon	3	1	1	1	4	5	−1	4
4	Kyrgyzstan	3	0	0	3	3	15	−12	0

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Group E

• All matches were held in Iran.
• Times listed are UTC+3:30.

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Iran (H)	3	3	0	0	15	0	+15	9	Final tournament
2	Kuwait	3	1	1	1	3	4	−1	4
3	Jordan	3	1	0	2	4	5	−1	3
4	Nepal	3	0	1	2	1	14	−13	1

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Group F

• All matches were held in Tajikistan.
• Times listed are UTC+5.

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Iraq	3	3	0	0	11	1	+10	9	Final tournament
2	Tajikistan (H)	3	2	0	1	11	4	+7	6
3	Bahrain	3	1	0	2	7	7	0	3	Final tournament as hosts
4	Maldives	3	0	0	3	0	17	−17	0

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Group G

• All matches were held in Myanmar.
• Times listed are UTC+6:30.

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Vietnam	4	4	0	0	11	2	+9	12	Final tournament
2	Myanmar (H)	4	2	1	1	6	2	+4	7
3	Timor-Leste	4	1	2	1	5	2	+3	5
4	Hong Kong	4	1	1	2	7	5	+2	4
5	Brunei	4	0	0	4	0	18	−18	0

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Group H

• All matches were held in Thailand.
• Times listed are UTC+7.

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	South Korea	4	4	0	0	26	4	+22	12	Final tournament
2	Thailand (H)	4	3	0	1	14	2	+12	9
3	Singapore	4	1	1	2	14	11	+3	4
4	Chinese Taipei	4	1	1	2	13	12	+1	4
5	Northern Mariana	4	0	0	4	0	38	−38	0

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Group I

• All matches were held in China
• Times listed are UTC+8.

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	China (H)	3	3	0	0	16	0	+16	9	Final tournament
2	North Korea	3	2	0	1	7	3	+4	6
3	Malaysia	3	1	0	2	4	8	−4	3
4	Macau	3	0	0	3	1	17	−16	0

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Group J

• All matches were held in Laos.
• Times listed are UTC+7.

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Japan	3	3	0	0	11	0	+11	9	Final tournament
2	Australia	3	2	0	1	8	3	+5	6
3	Laos (H)	3	1	0	2	2	5	−3	3
4	Philippines	3	0	0	3	1	14	−13	0

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Ranking of second-placed teams

The ranking among the runner-up team of all groups are determined as follows:^[4]

1. Greater number of points obtained in the group matches;
2. Greater goal difference resulting from the group matches;
3. Greater number of goals scored in group matches;
4. Greater number of wins in the group matches;
5. Fewer score calculated according to the number of yellow and red cards received in the group matches (1 point for a single yellow card, 3 points for a red card as a consequence of two yellow cards, 3 points for a direct red card, 4 points for a yellow card followed by a direct red card);
6. Drawing of lots.

In order to ensure equality when comparing the runner-up team of all groups, the results of the matches against the fifth-placed team in the groups having five teams are ignored due to the other groups having only four teams.

Pos	Grp	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	F	Tajikistan	3	2	0	1	11	4	+7	6	Final tournament
2	J	Australia	3	2	0	1	8	3	+5	6
3	H	Thailand	3	2	0	1	7	2	+5	6
4	I	North Korea	3	2	0	1	7	3	+4	6
5	B	Yemen	3	2	0	1	2	2	0	6
6	C	Palestine	3	2	0	1	3	5	−2	6
7	D	Oman	3	1	1	1	5	3	+2	4
8	G	Myanmar	3	1	1	1	2	2	0	4
9	E	Kuwait	3	1	1	1	3	4	−1	4
10	A	Bangladesh	3	1	1	1	3	5	−2	4

Qualified teams

The following 16 teams qualified for the final tournament.

Team	Qualified as	Qualified on	Previous appearances in tournament2
Bahrain	Hosts	3 June 2015	8 (1973, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1986, 1990, 1994, 2010)
Uzbekistan	Group A winners	6 October 2015	6 (2002, 2004, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014)
Saudi Arabia	Group B winners	6 October 2015	12 (1973, 1977, 1978, 1985, 1986, 1992, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012)
United Arab Emirates	Group C winners	6 October 2015	12 (1982, 1985, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2002, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014)
Qatar	Group D winners	6 October 2015	12 (1980, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2002, 2004, 2012, 2014)
Iran	Group E winners	6 October 2015	19 (1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014)
Iraq	Group F winners	6 October 2015	15 (1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1982, 1988, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014)
Vietnam	Group G winners	6 October 2015	17 (19613, 19623, 19633, 19643, 19653, 19673, 19683, 19693, 19703, 19713, 19743, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2012, 2014)
South Korea	Group H winners	6 October 2015	36 (1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014)
China	Group I winners	6 October 2015	16 (1975, 1976, 1978, 1982, 1985, 1988, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014)
Japan	Group J winners	6 October 2015	35 (1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014)
Tajikistan	1st best runners-up	6 October 2015	2 (2006, 2008)
Australia	2nd best runners-up	6 October 2015	5 (2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014)
Thailand	3rd best runners-up	6 October 2015	31 (1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1980, 1985, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014)
North Korea	4th best runners-up	6 October 2015	11 (1975, 1976, 1978, 1986, 1988, 1990, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014)
Yemen	5th best runners-up	6 October 2015	5 (1978, 2004, 2008, 2010, 2014)

³ As South Vietnam

² Bold indicates champion for that year. Italic indicates host for that year.

Goalscorers

6 goals

5 goals

4 goals

3 goals

2 goals

1 goal

1 own goal

Source: the-afc.com

References

External links

• AFC U-19 Championship, the-AFC.com