Football
India drawn in pot 1 in AFC Asian Cup 2027 final round qualifiers
India, the sole South Asian team in Pot 1, eyes Asian Cup 2027 qualification with a favorable draw.
Sunil Chhetri during his farewell match against Kuwait at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on June 6. (File photo: Indian Football Team/X)
India has been drawn into Pot 1 for the Final Round Qualifiers of the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027.
The draw, scheduled for December 9, 2024, at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, will set the stage for 24 teams vying for the remaining six berths in the tournament.
The Final Round will feature six groups, with only the group winners advancing to the 19th edition of the prestigious tournament, set to take place in Saudi Arabia for the first time.
Matches will begin in March 2025, following a home-and-away format, concluding in March 2026.
India is among the 18 teams that progressed from Round 2 and is the only South Asian nation placed in Pot 1.
This placement ensures it avoids higher-ranked teams like Syria and Thailand in the group stage.
Seedings for the draw
Teams are placed into four pots based on FIFA rankings as of November 28, 2024:
Pot 1: Syria, Thailand, Tajikistan, Lebanon, Vietnam, India
Pot 2: Malaysia, Turkmenistan, Philippines, Afghanistan, Hong Kong, Yemen
Pot 3: Singapore, Maldives, Chinese Taipei, Myanmar, Nepal, Bhutan
Pot 4: Brunei, Bangladesh, Laos, Timor-Leste, Pakistan, Sri Lanka
With its current FIFA ranking of 127, India will be aiming to maintain its momentum and secure back-to-back Asian Cup qualifications.
As part of Pot 1, India will face opponents from the lower pots, including strong contenders from Pot 2 like Malaysia and Turkmenistan.
