UAE challenge beckons India

WC qualifiers draw announced

India will travel to UAE for an away game on July 23 while the home tie will be played on July 28. India had recently lost to UAE 0-5 in an international friendly in the run-up to the AFC Asian Cup in Qatar.

The 16 lowest ranked teams -- based on their record at the qualification campaign for the 2010 FIFA World Cup -- out of 43 Asian countries taking part in the qualifying round were paired off to play home and away matches in the first round.

The eight winners from the first round will join 22 higher ranked teams. India are not playing in the first round as they have been seeded 27th. The 15 winners from the second round will join the top five direct entrants (Japan, Korea Republic, DPR Korea, Australia and Bahrain) in the third round to be played from September 2, 2011 to February 29, 2012.

The 20 teams in the third round will be divided into five groups of four each with the top two from each group making it to fourth round. The 10 qualified teams in the fourth round -- to be played from June 3, 2012 to June 18, 2013 -- will be divided into two groups of five each and the top two teams from each group will gain automatic berths to the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

Two third-placed teams will play in round five -- to be played on September 6 and 10, 2013 to determine Asia’s representative in the inter-continental playoff. The inter-continental playoff will be played on October 15 and November 19, 2013.

Meanwhile, India will take on Qatar in the second round of 2012 Olympics Asian Qualifiers. India will travel to Qatar on June 19 while the home match will be held on June 23. India had beaten Myanmar in the first round on 3-2 aggregate.

In the 2012 AFC under-16 Championship qualifiers, India have been placed in the Group C of West Zone along with Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Bahrain and Kyrgyzstan.
The top two teams from four groups of West Asia and the best third-place team will qualify to the main round.
In the 2012 AFC under-19 Championship qualifiers, India have been clubbed with Uzbekistan, Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan in Group C.
The top two teams from four groups of West Asia and the best third-place team will qualify for the main round.