The first edition of the biennial AFC U-22 Championship will be held in June 2013. The next edition of this competition will serve as qualifiers for the 2016 Olympics. The format for the competition was also approved. http://www.the-afc.com/en/news/35851-call-to-improve-afc-competitions
That's a really bad decision to make it a 'tournament' to qualify. Longer group qualifiers are the best method to determine ability not a tournament where anything could happen and some teams probably won't be able to call up europe-based players and so on.
I think your both right. When we add in the Asian Games aswell, then it's kind of getting a bit too much. I'd like to see the proposed format, will qualifiers be what we see now with the earlier rounds or just gung ho group qualification that we currently have for the U16 and U19's. If this is the case then the AFC must realise that the bulk of teams will be the U19's squads anyway and it would be like playing the same thing twice. And as this tournament will be for the Olympics, then really I think the AFC should take a step back. The Olympics is the pinnacle at this age group, the AFC are trying to step on it be adding something we don't need, whilst also trying to muster in on the Olympics they are generally also stabbing the Asian Games football torunament.
I wonder what the AFC have in mind? i feel as though all they are after is getting the 'big 5' stronger and worrying about the rest of the Asian nations...
More details coming through: The Committee decided the following for the AFC U-22 Championship which is scheduled to be held in 2013 with the qualification to the competition to be held in 2012: - Format: The Committee decided to implement the principle of zoning to conduct the draw for the qualifiers. Sixteen teams shall take part in the final competition with the hosts qualifying automatically for the finals. - Rankings: the Committee decided to apply the rankings of AFC U-19 Championship 2010 to seed the teams for U-22 Championship. - Hosts: the Committee decided to award the hosting rights on a rotational basis and the hosting region for the first edition in 2013 to be decided by draw. - Eligibility of players: The Committee also decided the players who have already participated in a higher age group competition cannot participate in the AFC U-16 Championship. - Participation Fee: The Committee also decided that there shall be no participation fee for the competition. - Duration: The Committee decided that the duration of the competition shall be 16 days. - Facilities: The Committee decided to host the competition in maximum two cities with three or four stadiums and minimum of six training fields. http://www.the-afc.com/en/news-cent...35931-afc-announces-key-competition-decisions
What's the point of playing this every two years? The first edition (if there really is a need for a single tournament) should be in 2015 for the 2016 Olympics. Or we could do as Europe do and have an under 21 competition two years before the Olympics that serve as qualifiers. I'm not really sure there is much fault with the current system. Some posters have mentioned the Asian Games. We don't participate in that, but is the Asian games an age restricted tournament?
This could actually be very beneficial to Iran. At this level, we always struggle in league format, but do very well at the tournament format. (ie the Asian Games) So you might finally see Iran in Olympics after 3 decades.
Kuala Lumpur: Continental youth action promises to be more exciting with the draw set for the qualifiers of new championship AFC U-22 Asian Cup and 39 countries having submitted their interest to participate. The draw date has been set on February 14, 2012, at 11:00 hrs, at AFC House, for the qualification campaign which will be held this year. The first edition is expected to be held in June 2013 while the next edition of the biennial competition will serve as qualifiers for the 2016 Olympics. The 39 countries who had submitted their intention to participate by the deadline of January 13 are Bahrain, Bangladesh, China PR, Chinese Taipei, DPR Korea, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Jordan, Korea Republic, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Macau, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor Leste, Turkmenistan, UAE, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Yemen. http://www.the-afc.com/en/news/37847-u22-qualifiers-draw-set
Normally you need to qualify to become the host at these types of competitions. In August the AFC said the host would be determined like this: Hosts: the Committee decided to award the hosting rights on a rotational basis and the hosting region for the first edition in 2013 to be decided by draw. As far as I'm aware, a draw has never been conducted yet. If Australia were to be named hosts then fishy things happening again.
Its probably something as simple as the fact we struggle to get a squad together for the Olympic Qualifiers at the best of times and an under 22 competition every second year serves little purpose as the players don't go on to anything. I'm pretty sure we'll nominate for the tournament that decides Olympic Qualification.
replacing the current qualification format with THIS.........poorly decided. It prevents the league format from deciding properly who the best teams are. And olympic places can be decided by home advantage or red cards or whatever. Obviously they did it cause apparently ALL the other confederations decide it like this. But still, it's such a shame to change this format. Wait so does this mean, there's going to be an Asian Games, and two U22 Asian Cups every four years?
Yep, Asian Games and U22 tournaments will be run by two different bodies though. Going to be overkill. The finals will also be too big for developing nations to host, so we will have the usual nations hosting. As almango said earlier, every 2nd year serves no purpose and surely the AFC will see this and cut it out as soon as 2016 Olympics have finished
Hope they do cut it. It's really a shame, they had the best qualifying system in place and now it's gone. The U22 tournaments won't be profitable but will require similar organisation as the full Asian Cup not something scrapped together like a U16 AFC Championship.
I CALL RIGHTS TO THE CREATION OF THE India national under-22 football team on wikipedia. LOL. But in all seriousness I am pretty happy about this. Obviously there are some bad things about this cup but there are some good things as well.
The U22 team is generally in preperation for the Olympics Under 23 tournement (which can play overage players). There's no FIFA tournament to play at. They are just Under 23's. Keep it like that or i'll bring you trouble!!!!! You can do me a favour though. Create me the 2013 AFC U23 tournement page Anyways, anyone going to the Senegal - AFC rep playoff game in Coventry, UK in April?? I'll be there!
Hahahhaha I expected that. Considering that the very next year the under-23 tournament begins. Also I thought we couldnt make the 2013 AFC U22 page till we find out the exact dates of the tournaments. We would be violating WP:Crystal. Either way I probably wont be the one to do that, I have a lot to do with the Indian Wikipedia pages as there are many pages about IF that really need a revamp. And at the same time you got those wiki police coming in and practically stalking my page but that is something for another time. Also I would love to see Senegal in Coventry. Will it be late April because I would be in London sometime then and would not mind driving to Coventry.
April 23rd. I think i'm going, possibly taking wife and kid or leaving them in hotel whilst i go to the game. £10 a ticket. Don't worry about WP:Crystal., we know which teams have entered and the draw is on 14th Feb, so be my guest