DUSHANBE, 07.07.2017 /NIAT “Khovar”/. The national futsal team of Tajikistan will play in one group with national teams of Iran and Afghanistan in the Asian Futsal Championship-2018 qualifiers, the press service of the Football Federation of Tajikistan reports.

The draw for the Asian Championship-2018 qualifying round was held on July 6 in the headquarters of the Asian Football Confederation in Kuala Lumpur. This year’s qualifiers will take place at the zonal principle — in the East (8 teams), South East (7 teams), Western (8 teams) and South Central (7 teams) zones. The South and Central zones were combined in one qualification zone, as Nepal is the only representative from the South. In total, 30 teams will participate in the qualifying tournament.

According to the results of the draw, the national team of Tajikistan in the South-Central zone appeared in group “B” with the current Asian champion — national team of Iran and Afghanistan. In group “A” will play the teams of Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Nepal. The Asian championship 2018 qualifiers will be held on October 13 — 22. The place of the qualifying round in our group is not yet defined.

According to the regulations, from the South and Central Zone, the two best teams from each group will receive vouchers to the final part of the Asian Championship-2018. According to the results of the zonal qualification 15 best teams will advance to the final round of this continental championship, which will be held on February 6-18, 2018 — 4 teams from South-Eastern zone, 4 teams from South and Central zone, 4 teams from Western zone, as well as 3 teams from Eastern zone. The sixteenth participant will be the host of championship.

The Championship of the Football Association of Southeast Asia, which will be held from October 23 to November 3 in Vietnam, will become a qualifying competition for the ASEAN zone. Four teams from this zone will receive berths to the final part of the Asian Championship-2018.