2018 Asian Games in Indonesia in August Updates about news and preparations for Asian Games , (U23 + 3 overaged players) What countries will participate ?
Jakarta: 32 countries have confirmed participation in men's football at the 2018 Asian Games, making it the largest ever. “The number of teams is amazing," said Indonesia Asian Games Organising Committee head Erick Thohir. The 18th Asian Games, to be held in Jakarta and Palembang, is on August 18 to September 2. Football is an Under-23 affair at the Asian Games, with each team allowed three overaged players. Korea Republic won the men's football gold medal in the 2014 Incheon edition, with DPR Korea second and Iraq third. “The number of football participants is equal to the FIFA World Cup." http://www.the-afc.com/news/afcsection/bumper-cast-for-2018-asian-games-men-s-football
The draw was done in this afternoon: Group A Indonesia Hong Kong Laos Taiwan Group B Thailand Uzbekistan Bangladesh Qatar Group C Iraq China Timor Leste Syria Group D Japan Vietnam Pakistan Nepal Group E Korea Republic Kyrgyzstan Malaysia Bahrain Group F DPR Korea Saudi Arabia Iran Myanmar
The officials made a serious mistake during the draw. They did not include UAE and Palestine in. They will find out the solution: possible to re-run the draw. https://www.insidethegames.biz/arti...2018-asian-games-after-name-omitted-from-draw
https://thestar.com.my/sport/footba...cer-redraw-plans-will-add-omitted-teams--kfa/ Asian Games ditch soccer redraw plans, will add omitted teams - KFA (Reuters) - The Asian Games will not redraw the men's football tournament after two countries were left out of the first draw but will instead fit the United Arab Emirates and Palestine into two of the original groups, the Korea Football Association (KFA) said on Wednesday. A new draw was set to take place at the Asian Football Confederation headquarters in Malaysia later on Wednesday but that plan had been scrapped following the AFC's meeting with Games organisers and the Olympic Council of Asia, the KFA added. With the addition of the two teams, two of the six groups will contain five sides, while the remaining four groups will each have four teams. The KFA said fixtures would be announced once the UAE and Palestine were sorted into their groups.
Palestine is drawn into Group A with us while UAE is in Group E. What a lousy way of organizing tournament football.
I guess Indonesia don't take any chances. Even if their weightlifters and badminton players are better athletes than their mediocre football team, football is by far biggest sport and the Asian Games will end when Indonesia gets knocked out in men's football. Because of this "draw" it won't happen in group stage and probably because of this "draw" they will also get an easy opponent on 1st knockout round.
India will miss the tournament. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com...is-global-sport-aiff/articleshow/64815655.cms
https://thestar.com.my/sport/football/2018/08/01/iraq-withdraw-from-asian-games-football-tournament/ Iraq will miss the tournament, too. This is getting ridiculous.
Winning start for Hong Kong, Palestine and Chinese Taipei draw http://www.the-afc.com/news/afcsection/group-a-md1-laos-hong-kong-palestine-chinese-taipei
Results from yesterday: Palestine 2-1 Laos Indonesia 4-0 Chinese Taipei Hong Kong must beat Chinese Taipei on Wednesday if we want to qualify.
IFF sent u21 team and many key u21 players like Noorafkan, Shekari, Naderi, Sajad Aghaei, Reza Azari, etc. are missing the tournament because the clubs refused to release them. Anyway It is still a good experience for the players that are going to participate.