Asia's best learn group stage opponents
24th February 2019
Gydnia: Asia's best learnt their FIFA U-20 World Cup Poland 2019 contenders following the official draw at the Gydnia Arena in Poland on Sunday.
Saudi Arabia, the 2018 AFC U-19 Championship winners, were drawn in Group E with France, Mali and Panama.
Japan, defeated 2-1 by Saudi Arabia in the 2018 AFC U-19 Championship final, will play in Group B with the 1999 runners-up having Mexico, Italy and Ecuador for company.
Korea Republic were drawn in Group F with six-time champions Argentina, twice winners Portugal and South Africa, while 1981 runners-up Qatar, will play in Group D with Nigeria, Ukraine and USA.
The draw saw the 24 teams divided into four pots of six teams based on a ranking built on past sporting performance.????We have our #U20WC Poland 2019 groups ?What do you think is the toughest group? ? pic.twitter.com/Ty0d9XcauX— FIFA.com (@FIFAcom) February 24, 2019
Host Poland were placed in Pot 1 along with Portugal, Uruguay, France, USA and Mexico while Pot 2 had Mali, Nigeria, New Zealand, Colombia, Korea Republic and Italy.
Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Argentina, Ecuador, Ukraine and Honduras were in Pot 3 while Japan, South Africa, Panama, Norway, Qatar and Tahiti were in Pot 4.
The FIFA U-20 World Cup Poland 2019 will be played across six venues on May 23 to June 15. England, champions in 2017, and five-time winners Brazil both did not qualify.
Photo: FIFA via Getty ImagesSource: the-afc.com