DRAW: 2018 FIFA WORLD CUP RUSSIA PRELIMINARY QUALIFICATION ROUND 2

Kuala Lumpur: Asia’s 2018 FIFA World Cup hopefuls learned their fate on Tuesday when the draw for the second round draw of continental qualifiers was held in the Malaysian capital.

40 teams were placed in eight groups for the FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign.

Syrian national soccer team was placed in group 5 with (Japan-Afghanistan-Singapore-Cambodia).

The Draw:

Group 1: 1. UAE 2. Saudi Arabia 3. Palestine 4. Timor-Leste 5. Malaysia

Group 2: 1. Australia 2. Jordan 3. Tajikistan 4. Kyrgyzstan 5. Bangladesh

Group 3: 1. China 2. Qatar 3. Maldives 4. Bhutan 5. Hong Kong

Group 4: 1. Iran 2. Oman 3. India 4. Turkmenistan 5. Guam

Group 5: 1. Japan 2. Syria 3. Afghanistan 4. Singapore 5. Cambodia

Group 6: 1. Iraq 2. Vietnam 3. Thailand 4. Indonesia 5. Chinese Taipei

Group 7: 1. Korea Republic 2. Kuwait 3. Lebanon 4. Myanmar 5. Laos

Group 8: 1. Uzbekistan 2. Bahrain 3. Philippines 4. DPR Korea 5. Yemen

The teams will compete according to a double round robin format, and the Round 2 qualification matches will be held from June 11, 2015 to March 29, 2016.

The group winners and four best runners-up (total 12 teams) will advance to the final round of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup.

AFC

Maher Taki