# 2023 AFC U-20 Asian Cup qualification

The 2023 AFC U-20 Asian Cup qualification was an international men's under-20 football competition which was held to decide the participating teams of the 2023 AFC U-20 Asian Cup. It was held as under-20 tournament for the first time after rebranding by AFC.

## Format changes

The AFC Executive Committee had approved several strategic recommendations put forward by the AFC Competitions Committee. One of which was the removal of zoning principles in the AFC's youth competitions.

## Draw

Of the 47 AFC member associations, a total of 44 teams entered the competition. The final tournament hosts Uzbekistan decided to participate in qualification despite having automatically qualified for the final tournament. However. their matches will not be taken into account when calculating the group ranking and best second-placed teams among the groups. The draw was held on 24 May 2022.
The 44 teams were allocated to 4 groups of five teams and 6 groups of four teams, with teams seeded according to their performance in the 2018 AFC U-19 Championship final tournament and qualification (overall ranking shown in parentheses; NR stands for non-ranked teams). A further restriction was also applied, with the ten teams serving as qualification group hosts drawn into separate groups.
On 16 August, FIFA Council unanimously decided to suspend India with immediate effect due to undue influence from third parties, which constitutes a serious violation of the FIFA Statutes. On 27 August, FIFA lifted the suspension, allowing India to compete.
On 26 August, Australia withdrew from the tournament citing safety concerns due to the 2021–2022 Iraqi political crisis, leaving Group H with only three teams. Iraq were later removed as the hosts of the group due to the same reason, with the AFC deciding to move the fixtures to Kuwait and to be played from 14 to 18 October. Australia were reinstated into the group by the AFC on 14 September 2022.
| | Pot 1 | Pot 2 | Pot 3 | Pot 4 | Pot 5 |
| Host Pot | Saudi Arabia (1) (H) Tajikistan (6) (H) Indonesia (8) (H) Jordan (10) (H) | Iraq (14) (H) Oman (21) (H) Bahrain (22) (H) | Mongolia (30) (H) Kyrgyzstan (31) (H) | Laos (34) (H) |
| Remaining Teams | South Korea (2) Qatar (3) Japan (4) Thailand (5) Australia (7) United Arab Emirates (9) | China (11) Malaysia (13) Vietnam (15) Chinese Taipei (16) Cambodia (17) Iran (19) Yemen (20) | Syria (23) Bangladesh (24) India (25) Myanmar (26) Lebanon (27) Hong Kong (29) Philippines (32) Palestine (33) | Turkmenistan (35) Singapore (36) Timor-Leste (37) Maldives (38) Brunei (39) Sri Lanka (40) Nepal (41) | Afghanistan (NR) Bhutan (NR) Guam (NR) Kuwait (NR, H*) Northern Mariana Islands (NR) Uzbekistan (18) (Q) |

### Notes

* Teams in bold qualified for the final tournament.
* (H): Qualification group hosts (* Kuwait replaced Iraq as group hosts after the draw)
* (Q): Final tournament hosts, automatically qualified regardless of qualification results

## Player eligibility

Players born on or after 1 January 2003 are eligible to compete in the tournament.

## Format

In each group, teams played each other once at a centralised venue. The ten group winners and the five best runners-up qualified for the final tournament.

### Tiebreakers

Teams were ranked according to points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss), and if tied on points, the following tiebreaking criteria are applied, in the order given, to determine the rankings (Regulations Article 7.3):
* Points in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
* Goal difference in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
* Goals scored in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
* If more than two teams are tied, and after applying all head-to-head criteria above, a subset of teams are still tied, all head-to-head criteria above are reapplied exclusively to this subset of teams;
* Goal difference in all group matches;
* Goals scored in all group matches;
* Penalty shoot-out if only two teams are tied and they met in the last round of the group;
* Disciplinary points (yellow card = 1 point, red card as a result of two yellow cards = 3 points, direct red card = 3 points, yellow card followed by direct red card = 4 points);
* Drawing of lots.

## Groups

The matches were played between 10 and 18 September 2022, with the exception of Group H which were played from 14 to 18 October.

### Group A

* All matches were held in Saudi Arabia.
* Uzbekistan competed in the qualifiers, but their matches were not taken into account when calculating the group ranking.
* Times listed are UTC+3.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Saudi Arabia (H) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 0 | +17 | 9 | Final tournament |
| 2 | China | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 2 | +6 | 6 | Final tournament |
| 3 | Myanmar | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 8 | −4 | 3 | |
| 4 | Maldives | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 19 | −19 | 0 | |

### Group B

* All matches were held in Bahrain.
* Times listed are UTC+3.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Qatar | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 1 | +13 | 12 | Final tournament |
| 2 | Bahrain (H) | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 3 | +5 | 7 | |
| 3 | Bangladesh | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 | +1 | 7 | |
| 4 | Bhutan | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 10 | −6 | 3 | |
| 5 | Nepal | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 14 | −13 | 0 | |

### Group C

* All matches were held in Laos.
* Times listed are UTC+7.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Japan | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 0 | +22 | 12 | Final tournament |
| 2 | Yemen | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 5 | +9 | 7 | |
| 3 | Palestine | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 10 | −2 | 7 | |
| 4 | Laos (H) | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 7 | −3 | 3 | |
| 5 | Guam | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 27 | −26 | 0 | |

### Group D

* All matches were held in Jordan.
* Times listed are UTC+3.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Jordan (H) | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 21 | 2 | +19 | 10 | Final tournament |
| 2 | Syria | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 3 | +13 | 9 | Final tournament |
| 3 | Chinese Taipei | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 1 | +9 | 7 | |
| 4 | Turkmenistan | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 8 | +1 | 3 | |
| 5 | Northern Mariana Islands | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 42 | −42 | 0 | |

### Group E

* All matches were held in Mongolia.
* Times listed are UTC+8.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | South Korea | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 2 | +17 | 9 | Final tournament |
| 2 | Mongolia (H) | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 8 | −1 | 4 | |
| 3 | Malaysia | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 7 | −1 | 4 | |
| 4 | Sri Lanka | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 15 | −15 | 0 | |

### Group F

* All matches were held in Indonesia.
* Times listed are UTC+7.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Indonesia (H) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 3 | +9 | 9 | Final tournament |
| 2 | Vietnam | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 4 | +7 | 6 | Final tournament |
| 3 | Timor-Leste | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 9 | −7 | 3 | |
| 4 | Hong Kong | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 12 | −9 | 0 | |

### Group G

* All matches were held in Oman.
* Times listed are UTC+4.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Oman (H) | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 6 | Final tournament |
| 2 | Thailand | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 3 | +3 | 6 | |
| 3 | Philippines | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 6 | −3 | 3 | |
| 4 | Afghanistan | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | −3 | 3 | |
* 1 2 Head-to-head points: Oman 3, Thailand 0

### Group H

* All matches were originally scheduled to be held in Iraq, but were later moved to Kuwait due to the 2021–2022 Iraqi political crisis.
* Australia initially withdrew from the tournament citing safety reasons, but were reinstated when Iraq lost hosting rights.
* Times listed are UTC+3.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Australia | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 2 | +7 | 9 | Final tournament |
| 2 | Iraq | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 3 | +3 | 6 | Final tournament |
| 3 | India | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 9 | −4 | 3 | |
| 4 | Kuwait (H) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 8 | −6 | 0 | |

### Group I

* All matches were held in Tajikistan.
* Times listed are UTC+5.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Tajikistan (H) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | +5 | 7 | Final tournament |
| 2 | Lebanon | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 5 | +2 | 6 | |
| 3 | Singapore | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 7 | −5 | 2 | |
| 4 | Cambodia | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | −2 | 1 | |

### Group J

* All matches were held in Kyrgyzstan.
* Times listed are UTC+6.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Iran | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | +11 | 9 | Final tournament |
| 2 | Kyrgyzstan (H) | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 1 | +7 | 6 | Final tournament |
| 3 | United Arab Emirates | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 4 | +1 | 3 | |
| 4 | Brunei | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 19 | −19 | 0 | |

## Ranking of second-placed teams

Due to groups having a different number of teams, the results against the fifth-placed teams in five-team groups were not counted in the ranking.
| Pos | Grp | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | F | Vietnam | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 4 | +7 | 6 | Final tournament |
| 2 | J | Kyrgyzstan | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 1 | +7 | 6 | Final tournament |
| 3 | A | China | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 2 | +6 | 6 | Final tournament |
| 4 | H | Iraq | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 3 | +3 | 6 | Final tournament |
| 5 | D | Syria | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 3 | +3 | 6 | Final tournament |
| 6 | G | Thailand | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 3 | +3 | 6 | |
| 7 | I | Lebanon | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 5 | +2 | 6 | |
| 8 | C | Yemen | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | |
| 9 | E | Mongolia | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 8 | −1 | 4 | |
| 10 | B | Bahrain | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 4 | |
* 1 2 3 Disciplinary points: Iraq –5, Syria –8, Thailand –10.

## Qualified teams

A total of 16 teams including hosts Uzbekistan qualified for the final tournament.
| Team | Qualified as | Qualified on | Previous appearances in AFC U-19 Championship |
| Uzbekistan | Hosts | 26 January 2021 | 7 (2002, 2004, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016) |
| Saudi Arabia | Group A winners | 18 September 2022 | 14 (1973, 1977, 1978, 1985, 1986, 1992, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2016, 2018) |
| Qatar | Group B winners | 18 September 2022 | 14 (1980, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2002, 2004, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018) |
| Japan | Group C winners | 18 September 2022 | 37 (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, 2016, 2018) |
| Jordan | Group D winners | 18 September 2022 | 7 (1977, 1978, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2018) |
| South Korea | Group E winners | 18 September 2022 | 38 (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, 2016, 2018) |
| Indonesia | Group F winners | 18 September 2022 | 17 (1960, 1961, 1962, 1967, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1986, 1990, 1994, 2004, 2014, 2018) |
| Oman | Group G winners | 18 September 2022 | 2 (2000, 2014) |
| Australia | Group H winners | 18 October 2022 | 7 (2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018) |
| Tajikistan | Group I winners | 18 September 2022 | 4 (2006, 2008, 2016, 2018) |
| Iran | Group J winners | 18 September 2022 | 20 (1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016) |
| Vietnam | Best runners-up | 18 September 2022 | 19 (1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1974, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018) |
| Kyrgyzstan | 2nd best runners-up | 18 September 2022 | 1 (2006) |
| China | 3rd best runners-up | 18 September 2022 | 18 (1975, 1976, 1978, 1982, 1985, 1988, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018) |
| Iraq | 4th best runners-up | 18 October 2022 | 17 (1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1982, 1988, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018) |
| Syria | 5th best runners-up | 18 September 2022 | 10 (1975, 1988, 1990, 1994, 1996, 2002, 2004, 2008, 2010, 2012) |
    $^1$ Bold indicates champions for that year. Italic indicates hosts for that year.
    $^2$ As South Vietnam

## Goalscorers

There were 319 goals scored in 76 matches, for an average of 4.2 goals per match.
9 goals
* Kanta Chiba
6 goals
* Amir Ebrahimzadeh
* Lee Young-jun
5 goals
* Mohannad Abu Taha
* Ahmed Al-Rawi
* Abdullah Radif
4 goals
* Meshari Al-Nemer
* Lee Jun-sang
* Hozan Osman
3 goals
* Gabriel Popovic
* Afrden Asqer
* Kao Kuan-yu
* Liu Hsuan-wei
* Gurkirat Singh
* Hokky Caraka
* Marselino Ferdinan
* Rabbani Tasnim
* Isa Sakamoto
* Baker Kalbouneh
* Mirlan Bekberdinov
* Ali Kassas
* Aliff Izwan
* Lee Seung-won
* Muhannad Fadel
* Zakaria Al Ramadan
* Daýanç Meredow
* Shahzodbek Rahmatullayev
* Muhammadali Usmonov
* Đinh Xuân Tiến
* Gassem Al-Sharafi
2 goals
* Adrian Segecic
* Mubarak Mohamed
* Abdullah Al-Subaiei
* Piash Ahmed Nova
* Santa Kumar Limbu
* Abdulla Adil
* Rehmetulla Xuehret
* Sota Kitano
* Issei Kumatoriya
* Jiro Nakamura
* Zakaria Amro
* Ala'a Dayeh
* Amin Al-Shanaineh
* Sultan Al-Sheyab
* Mohammad Sadek
* Mohamad Safwan
* Adam Farhan
* Buyannemekh Ganbat
* Temuulen Uuganbat
* Monir Al Badarin
* Kamil Amirul
* Rashid Al-Abdulla
* Jassem Al-Sharshani
* Yazeed Jawshan
* Bae Joon-ho
* Mahmood Al Aswad
* Elias Safar
* Abdulfatokhi Khudoidodzoda
* Thanakrit Laokrai
* Phuwanet Thongkhui
* Söhbet Durdyýew
* Suleýman Mirzoýew
* Arslan Saparow
* Asadbek Juraboyev
* Rian Islamov
* Khuất Văn Khang
* Mohammed Ali Hasan
* Mohammed Mahdi
* Ammar Noman
* Zakarya Al-Taftoof
1 goal
* Omid Rajabi
* Max Caputo
* Garang Kuol
* Nectarios Triantis
* Saad Abdulla
* Abdulrahman Gadban
* Salem Isa
* Abdullah Al-Khalasi
* Ashraful Haque Asif
* Mojibur Rahman Jony
* Sajed Hasan Nijum
* Sonam Chozang
* Karma Jamtsho
* Hav Soknet
* Koeut Pich
* Chen Zhexuan
* Mawlet Mijit
* Benson Lin
* Liou Wei-zhe
* Wei Chih-chuan
* Yuan Yu-hsuan
* Brandon Kukahiko
* Chen Ngo Hin
* Sohgo Ichikawa
* Ellison Tsang
* Taison Singh
* Maheson Singh Tongbram
* Zanadin Fariz
* Muhammad Ferarri
* Alfriyanto Nico
* Mojtaba Fakhrian
* Hossein Hajizadeh
* Amin Hazbavi
* Saeid Saharkhizan
* Mirmohammadreza Torabi
* Hayder Abdulkareem
* Ashar Ali
* Muslim Mousa
* Abdulrazzaq Qasim
* Ali Sadeq
* Taichi Fukui
* Yoshiki Narahara
* Riku Yamane
* Mohammed Abdulaziz
* Mohammed Abu Hazeem
* Omar Al-Asad
* Seif Addeen Darwish
* Qusai Al-Mansouri
* Saleh Faisal
* Fahad Saud
* Beknaz Almazbekov
* Aytenir Balbakov
* Khristiyan Brauzman
* Ermek Kenjebaev
* Arsen Sharshenbekov
* Chanthavixay Khounthoumphone
* Athit Louanglath
* Anataza Siphongphan
* Phetdavanh Somsanid
* Alif Farhan
* Ankhbayar Sodmönkh
* Gan-Erdene Erdenebat
* Temuulen Zayat
* Kaung Htet Paing
* La Min Htwe
* Oakkar Naing
* Swan Htet
* Ali Al-Balushi
* Ahad Al-Mashaikhi
* Khalid Al-Salimi
* Nasser Al-Saqri
* Bassam Abdallah
* Khaled Abu Al-Heija
* Danny Derbas
* Amro Rezeq
* Mohammed Sandouqa
* Martin Meriño
* Al-Hashmi Al-Hussein
* Mohammed Mansour
* Mobark Shanan
* Mohamed Surag
* Abdulaziz Al-Elewai
* Mohammed Bakor
* Musab Al-Juwayr
* Salem Al-Najdi
* Abdulmalik Al-Oyayri
* Saleh Al-Rahmani
* Yaseen Al-Zubaidi
* Amir Syafiz
* Kieran Teo
* Jung Seung-bae
* Kim Hee-seung
* Kim Yong-hak
* Mahmoud Mhanna
* Mahmoud Nayef
* Amadoni Kamolov
* Mekhrubon Karimov
* Bezhan Nishonbojzoda
* Fatkhullo Olimzoda
* Peeranan Buakai
* Chonnapat Buaphan
* Ejivanio
* Juvito
* Ali Abdulaziz
* Atiq Esam
* Mubarak Al-Jaari
* Khalifa Khamis
* Mayed Saeed
* Rustambek Fomin
* Makhmud Juraboyev
* Akbar Oktamov
* Javokhir Utamurodov
* Bùi Vĩ Hào
* Nguyễn Đức Anh
* Nguyễn Quốc Việt
* Nguyễn Thanh Nhàn
* Nguyễn Xuân Bắc
* Mohammed Ebrahim
* Hamzah Mahross
* Mohammed Al-Qashmi
1 own goal
* Kelzang Jigmi (against Qatar)
* Levi Buckwalter (against Palestine)
* Muhammad Ferarri (against Vietnam)
* Jassem Al-Sharshani (against Nepal)
* Imdadulla Hussain (against South Korea)
* Gamil Al-Dubai (against Japan)
2 own goals
* Bikash Yumnam (against Iraq and Australia)