In the upcoming 2020 AFC U-23 Championship qualification, Maldives is grouped among the strong gulf sides, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Lebanon in group D. The qualification round is to begin on 22^nd March 2019.

Maldives will meet Saudi Arabia in the group opening match on 22^nd March 2019. The second fixture for Maldives will be against United Arab Emirates on a day after, 24^th March. And in the final group stage match, Maldives will face Lebanon on 26^th March.

Out of 47 member nations of Asian Football Confederation (AFC), 44 nations will take part in the qualification round. That is 24 teams from west zone, 20 teams from east zone. A noticeable side from south region of Asia, Bhutan has not taken part in the tournament.

As the qualification tournament draw was taken on November 7^th , 2018 in the main AFC house located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, total 44 teams have being drawn into 11 groups, 4 teams in each equally. 11 group winners will advance to the final tournament, 2020 AFC U-23 Championship, Thailand. Followed with the best four runner-ups from all the groups.

Final tournament will be hosted in Thailand. Though Thailand gets an automatic place in the final tournament, they have decided to take part in the qualification phase too. Therefor if Thailand sits among the best four runner-ups of all the groups, then their chance will be handover to the best fifth runner-up team among all the groups.

Photo: Avas