MUSCAT, MAY 28
Oman’s national U20 football team have been drawn in Group E of the AFC U20 Asian Cup China 2027 Qualifiers, alongside Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Hong Kong, following the official draw held at the Asian Football Confederation headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The qualifiers will be played in a centralised format from August 25 to September 6, 2026, with Qatar hosting the group matches. The draw has placed Oman in a competitive group that carries strong regional interest, particularly with meetings against Gulf neighbours Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
The young Red Warriors, led by national coach Hamad al Azzani, will be aiming to secure one of the available qualification spots for the continental finals, which will be staged in China in 2027. The group winner will qualify directly, while the seven best second-placed teams from the eight qualifying groups will also advance to the final tournament.
The upcoming edition of the qualifiers will be held under a new AFC format introduced as part of reforms to youth competitions. A total of 32 teams have been placed in eight groups of four in the qualifying stage, with the bottom team in each group moving to the development stage in the next cycle. The system is designed to create more balanced and competitive matches across the continent.
For Oman, the draw provides a clear target for the technical staff as preparations continue ahead of a busy period for the national youth side. The team recently completed an overseas camp in Cairo, where they played two friendly matches against Egypt as part of their build-up for upcoming regional and continental assignments.
Although Oman lost both friendlies 2-1, the camp was viewed as an important step in assessing the squad’s technical, physical and tactical readiness. Al Azzani and his staff used the matches to test several players, review the team’s structure and identify areas for improvement before the next phase of preparations.
The technical staff are expected to continue monitoring players closely in the coming period, with the aim of building a stable squad capable of competing strongly in the qualifiers. The matches in Qatar will require Oman to show consistency across three fixtures, as every point could prove decisive in the race for qualification.
Saudi Arabia are expected to be among the strongest contenders in the group, while Qatar will benefit from playing on home soil. Hong Kong, China, will also enter the qualifiers looking to challenge for points and improve their position in the group.
GROUPINGS
Elsewhere in the draw, Group A includes Korea Republic, Kyrgyzstan, the Philippines and Lebanon, while Group B features Uzbekistan, Syria, India and Bangladesh. Group C comprises Iran, Vietnam, DPR Korea and Palestine, with Group D bringing together Jordan, Tajikistan, Bahrain and Afghanistan.
Group F includes Iraq, Thailand, the UAE and Turkmenistan, while Japan, Yemen, Cambodia and Kuwait will compete in Group G. Defending champions Australia were placed in Group H alongside Indonesia, Malaysia and Laos.
In the development phase, Group I features hosts Mongolia alongside Guam, Nepal and Northern Mariana Islands, while Group J includes Chinese Taipei, Singapore, hosts Bhutan and Macau. Group K brings together hosts Myanmar, Maldives, Brunei Darussalam and Sri Lanka. The winners and runners-up from the three development groups will earn promotion to the qualifying stage in the next edition.
Oman will now turn attention to the next stage of preparations, with the coaching staff seeking to refine the squad and strengthen the team’s readiness before the crucial qualifying campaign in Doha.
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