The India U-16 national team squad celebrating their qualification for the AFC U-16 Championship Finals. (Photo courtesy: AIFF Media)
India were clubbed with Korea Republic, Australia and Uzbekistan in Group C at the official draw for the AFC U-16 Championship Bahrain 2020 held at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur earlier today (June 18, 2020).
The four semi-finalists of the competition will earn a direct qualification to FIFA U-17 World Cup Peru 2021.
India qualified for the U-16 Finals when they finished as Group B champions in Tashkent from a group which had Uzbekistan (hosts), Bahrain and Turkmenistan. The Indian colts finished with 7 points from three matches scoring 11 goals, while conceding 1.
This is India’s third consecutive qualification in the AFC U-16 finals, and ninth overall.
India U-16 National Team Head Coach Bibiano Fernandes stated that the “boys are looking forward to it”.