DUSHANBE, 27.01.2021 (NIAT Khovar) – The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has approved the competition calendar for 2021. This year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Asian U-16 and U-19 championships, as well as the Asian Futsal Championship in which Tajik national teams were supposed to participate, were canceled.

Despite the cancellation of a number of major tournaments, in 2021, according to the AFC calendar, competitions are planned both among clubs and among various national teams, in which the Tajik teams will take part.

Matches of the National Team of Tajikistan in the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers

The national team of Tajikistan has three matches left in the second round of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers in Group F. On March 25, the Tajik team will host the Mongolian team. Then, in June, the team will have two matches against Japan (June 7, away) and Myanmar (June 15, at home).

Currently, it has 7 points in five matches played and ranks the third place in its group.

Following the second round, the eight group winners and four others teams which will rank second place with the best results, will advance to the third round of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers and will automatically qualify for the 2023 Asia Cup.

In the third round, which will take place on September 2, 2021 through March 29, 2022, 12 teams will be divided into two groups. According to its results, the two best teams from each group will advance to the 2022 World Cup Qatar.

The 24 teams that do not qualify for the third round of the 2022 World Cup qualifier will then play for the remaining places in the 2023 Asia Cup.

According to the AFC’s plans, the 2023 Asian Cup qualifying group round will begin in March 2022. Twenty-four teams will take part in the 18th Asian Cup, which will be held from June 9 through July 9, 2023 in China.

Tajik U-23 Team Participates in the 2022 Asian Cup

The 2022 Asian U-23 Cup qualifiers will take place from October 23 through October 31 this year, which will be also attended by Tajik youth team.

The opponents of the Tajik U-23 team is to be determined.

The Asian U-23 Cup will take place from June 1 through June 19, 2022. The new location for the championship has not yet been determined. Earlier, the Chinese Football Association gave up the right to host the 2022 Asian U-23 Cup, explaining this by problems with the organization of the Beijing Winter Olympics.

The AFC has invited countries in Western Asia (including Central and South Asia) to consider hosting the 2022 and 2024 U23 Continental Cup.

Tajikistan Hosts the 2022 Women’s Asian U-17 and U-20 Cups Qualifiers

This year, Tajikistan will host the 2022 U-17 and U-20 Women’s Asian Cups qualifiers. If the COVID-19 pandemic does not interfere, the first round of the U-17 Women’s Asian Cup will take place from September 18 through September 26, and the first qualifying round for the U-20 Women’s Asian Cup will take place from August 14 through August 22.

Earlier, the AFC approved Tajikistan as the venue for one of the groups of U-17 and U-20 qualifying tournaments.

According to the AFC calendar, the Women’s Asian Cup qualifying tournament is scheduled from September 14 through September 25 this year, which will be also attended by Tajik women’s team.

Additionally, this year the AFC is planning to host the first pilot Women’s Club Championship. The tournament is scheduled for November 1-6. Which teams will take part in the AFC pilot tournament has not yet been determined.

2022 Futsal Asian Cup Qualifiers To Be Held in October

The 2022 Futsal Asian Cup qualifiers, which will be attended by the Tajik team, will be held from October 13 through October 24 this year.

The 16th Futsal Asian Cup will take place next year in Kuwait. The tournament, which was supposed to be held this year, was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 11th Futsal Asian Club Championship this year will take place from July 14 through July 25 in the UAE.

Participation of Tajik Clubs in the 2021 AFC Champions League and Cup

Istiklol, Ravshan and Khujand clubs will represent Tajikistan in Asian tournaments. Istiklol will debut in the 2021 AFC Champions League group stage, which will be held in a centralized format from April 14 through April 30.

Ravshan and Khujand will play in the 2021 AFC Cup group stage, which will take place from May 14 through May 20. Seven clubs will take part in the Central zone, which will be divided into two groups.

According to the AFC Cup regulations, two representatives of the same country cannot be in the same group. The group winners will play in the zonal finals.

The Tajik clubs will recognize their rivals in the 2021 AFC Champions League and Cup today following the draw.

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