AFC U-17 Asian Cup Qualifiers: Nepal set to play Japan tonight

Kathmandu, October 23 — Nepal's U-17 men's team is set to face Japan in their opening group-stage match of the AFC U-17 Asian Cup Qualifiers tonight (October 23). The match will be played at Hamad bin Khalifa Stadium in Doha at 22:30 NST.

This encounter will mark the commencement of the Nepali youngsters' campaign in the tournament, which also includes upcoming matches against host nation Qatar and Mongolia.

The AFC U-17 Asian Cup Qualifiers feature a total of 43 teams, organized into 10 groups—seven comprising four teams each and three consisting of five. Nepal finds itself in Group F.

According to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), the path to the AFC U-17 Asian Cup is clear: the 10 group winners and the five best second-placed teams will advance. To secure a place in the prestigious tournament scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia in 2025, the Nepali U-17 side must aim to either top their group or finish second with a respectable goal difference. However, achieving either of these positions poses a considerable challenge.

A significant hurdle in this endeavor is Japan. The Japanese team not only holds the title of defending champion but is also a four-time winner of the AFC U-17 Asian Cup, with victories in 1994, 2006, 2018, and 2023. Their objective will be to assert themselves as the leading team in the Qualifiers and to lift the AFC U-17 Cup for a third consecutive time.

The form of the Japanese squad is impressive, having recently triumphed over Uzbekistan, Peru, and the USA in their last two months of play. In contrast, the Nepali U-17 squad returned from Bhutan after a 4-2 defeat to India in the semi-finals of the SAFF U-17 Championship held from September 20 to 30, 2024. Nonetheless, they demonstrated their potential by staging a comeback against Bhutan to secure their place in the semi-finals.

In this U-17 category, Nepal's Group F consists of Japan, Qatar, and Mongolia, with the group stage matches hosted by Qatar. Prior to the U-17 Qualifiers, Nepal will also compete in the SAFF U-17 Championship, taking place in Bhutan from September 18 to 28.

On Saturday, the squad was bid farewell as they prepare to face Japan, Qatar, and Mongolia in the AFC Qualifiers.