<p class="title">The Indian football team is set to play international friendlies against higher-ranked Saudi Arabia and China in the run-up to next year's AFC Asian Cup, according to a top official of the All India Football Federation (AIFF).</p>.<p class="bodytext">The 2019 Asian Cup will be held from January 5 to February 1 across eight centres in four United Arab Emirates cities.</p>.<p class="bodytext">India are clubbed with UAE, Thailand and Bahrain in Group A of the continental showpiece.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Talks with both the federations are in advanced stages, AIFF general secretary Kushal Das told PTI.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We are in talks with them and it's almost 90 percent. We are trying to arrange one home and one away game around October-November," Das said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Saudi Arabia, who are participating in the ongoing FIFA World Cup in Russia, are currently ranked 67, while China are placed 75th.</p>.<p class="bodytext">India are ranked 97th in the FIFA charts.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The top 24 teams from all over Asia are drawn into six groups of four teams each.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The top AIFF official said they are looking to arrange matches for the national team keeping in line with FIFA's changed ranking system.</p>.<p class="bodytext">India, ranked 14 in Asian region, are high on confidence following their title triumph in the Intercontinental Cup recently.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Inspirational captain Sunil Chhetri scored a brace to lead the home side to a 2-0 win over Kenya in the summit clash at the Mumbai Football Arena on June 10.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Teams in a group will play each other once and the top two from each group will qualify for the Round of 16 along with the best four third-placed teams. This is India's fourth qualification in the Asian Cup.</p>.<p class="bodytext">India had finished runners-up to Israel in 1964. In the 1984 edition, India crashed out at the group stage with one draw and three losses.</p>.<p class="bodytext">For India coach Stephen Constantine and Chhetri, the Intercontinental Cup showing is only a step in preparation for the Asian Cup.</p>
<p class="title">The Indian football team is set to play international friendlies against higher-ranked Saudi Arabia and China in the run-up to next year's AFC Asian Cup, according to a top official of the All India Football Federation (AIFF).</p>.<p class="bodytext">The 2019 Asian Cup will be held from January 5 to February 1 across eight centres in four United Arab Emirates cities.</p>.<p class="bodytext">India are clubbed with UAE, Thailand and Bahrain in Group A of the continental showpiece.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Talks with both the federations are in advanced stages, AIFF general secretary Kushal Das told PTI.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We are in talks with them and it's almost 90 percent. We are trying to arrange one home and one away game around October-November," Das said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Saudi Arabia, who are participating in the ongoing FIFA World Cup in Russia, are currently ranked 67, while China are placed 75th.</p>.<p class="bodytext">India are ranked 97th in the FIFA charts.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The top 24 teams from all over Asia are drawn into six groups of four teams each.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The top AIFF official said they are looking to arrange matches for the national team keeping in line with FIFA's changed ranking system.</p>.<p class="bodytext">India, ranked 14 in Asian region, are high on confidence following their title triumph in the Intercontinental Cup recently.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Inspirational captain Sunil Chhetri scored a brace to lead the home side to a 2-0 win over Kenya in the summit clash at the Mumbai Football Arena on June 10.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Teams in a group will play each other once and the top two from each group will qualify for the Round of 16 along with the best four third-placed teams. This is India's fourth qualification in the Asian Cup.</p>.<p class="bodytext">India had finished runners-up to Israel in 1964. In the 1984 edition, India crashed out at the group stage with one draw and three losses.</p>.<p class="bodytext">For India coach Stephen Constantine and Chhetri, the Intercontinental Cup showing is only a step in preparation for the Asian Cup.</p>