MUSCAT: The draw for the fourth West Asian Championship for the Olympic teams placed Oman national team in the third group, alongside Lebanon and Yemen, in the ceremony hosted by the Federation’s headquarters in the Jordanian capital, Amman. The championship will be hosted by the Iraqi Federation from June 12 to June 20.
The draw ceremony, held at the federation's headquarters on May 29 and streamed live on its official channel, unveiled the composition of the tournament's nine participating teams, divided into three groups.
In Group A, the host nation, Iraq, will compete against the teams from the United Arab Emirates and Jordan. Group B comprises Palestine, Iran, and Syria, while Group C consists of Oman, Lebanon and Yemen.
The West Asian Federation placed a special emphasis on the drawing process, ensuring that Oman, Syria and Jordan teams were distributed across different groups. This decision was made to prevent the teams from being placed in the same group, as they are already set to face each other in the qualifiers for the AFC U-23 Cup.
Notably, the Iranian national team will participate as a guest and by invitation under the union agreement between the West Asian Federation and the Central Asian Federation.
The matches of the two groups will be held in the vibrant city of Baghdad, including semifinals and final. Additionally, one group will be hosted in the city of Karbala. The specific groups assigned to each city will be announced in due course, along with the final and official schedule of matches and stadiums.
According to the tournament format, the group stage will witness fierce competition, as each team vies for a spot in the semifinals. The group winners, along with the team securing the second-best position, will advance to the semifinals. From there, the two victors will battle it out in the final match, promising an exhilarating conclusion to this prestigious event.
In related news, the Olympic camp for Oman's national team, led by national coach Akram Habrish, concluded its internal camp on May 31. The camp commenced on May 19.
The fourth West Asian Federation U23 Football Championship is poised to showcase the exceptional talent and skill of the region's emerging football stars. Fans around the world can look forward to witnessing thrilling matches and a celebration of West Asian football at its best.
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