Topic
AFC Asian Cup 2019 qualifying
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TOPIC
AFC Asian Cup 2019 qualifying
The 2019 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers is the process organised by the Asian Football Confederation to determine the participating teams for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, the 17th edition of the international men's football championship of Asia. For the first time, the Asian Cup final tournament will be contested by 24 teams, having been expanded from the 16-team format that had been used since 2004. Hong Kong have been grouped with Lebanon, North Korea and Malaysia in the third round of qualification. The top two teams in the group qualify for the competition.
- Philippines, Kyrgyzstan and Yemen are all debutants at the 2019 tournament and can still go through to knockouts
- Impending World Cup expansion means Asia needs to be more competitive
- New boys caused problems for tournament favourites in the United Arab Emirates
- New boys caused problems for tournament favourites in the United Arab Emirates
Former England and Ivory Coast manager replaces Terry Butcher
Former England and Ivory Coast manager replaces Terry Butcher