AFC Women’s Asian Cup India 2022 set for thrilling openers

NEW DELHI: The celebration of women’s football at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup India 2022 will kick off on January 20 between eight-time champions China PR and Chinese Taipei to set the tone for an entertaining campaign next year. 
 
Following the official draw ceremony held today in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia the Steel Roses will face Chinese Taipei in Group A at the Mumbai Football Arena at 3.30pm (local time).
 
Host nation India go head-to-head against the Islamic Republic of Iran, who are making their debut, in the opening day action at the D.Y. Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai at 7.30pm.
 
Speaking about the draw, All India Football Federation president and chairman, Local Organising Committee, Praful Patel said, “The AFC Women’s Asian Cup is the flagship tournament for women’s football in our continent and I am very proud and happy that India is going to host the 2022 edition of the tournament.
 
“With the conclusion of the draw, we have achieved yet another significant milestone en route to the AFC Women’s Asian Cup India 2022. I am extremely excited and am eagerly looking forward to the wonderful games that we are going to see in India from 20th January 2022 onward.
 
“On behalf of everyone, I would like to wish every visiting team the very best for this prestigious tournament. Our Goal for All through this tournament is to remain committed in making women’s football more popular and dynamic across the entire Asian continent,” he added.
 
The action continues on January 21 when Australia, champions in 2010 and runners-up in the last two editions, take on Indonesia at the Mumbai Football Arena at 3.30pm while Thailand play the Philippines at the D.Y. Patil Stadium at 5.30pm in Group B.
 
In Group C, Japan will begin their title defence against Myanmar at 1.30pm while Korea Republic have Vietnam for company six hours later. Both matches will be played at the Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Pune.
 
Adding excitement to the competition, the leading five teams at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup India 2022™ will qualify to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
 
If Australia finishes among the top five teams in India, the sixth ranked team will earn a spot in the global showpiece in 2023 as the Matildas automatically qualify as the co-hosts along with New Zealand.
 
However, the fixtures and sequence of the play-off matches that will determine which team qualifies to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the two slots to the Inter-Confederation Play-off matches will depend on the progress of Australia.
 
Should Australia qualify to the Semi-finals, the four losing teams from the Quarter-finals will engage in a play-off, with the two winning teams qualifying to the FIFA Women’s World Cup and the losing teams earning a place at the Inter-Confederation Play-off.
 
If the Matildas’ campaign ends in the Quarter-finals, the three losing Quarter-finalists will play in a one-round robin format with the winner advancing to the FIFA Women’s World Cup and the remaining two teams securing berths for the Inter-Confederation Play-off.
 
In the final scenario, if Australia do not advance to the Quarter-finals, the four losing Quarter-finalists will play two rounds of Play-off matches.
 
The winners of the first Play-off matches will face off in a decider for a direct slot to the FIFA Women’s World Cup while the loser of this Play-off match and the winner of the other Play-off match will qualify to the Inter-Confederation Play-off.