National Team - Lions ● Oct 20, 2021
Lions to contest AFC Asian Cup 2023 Qualifiers Final Round at centralised venue
Shahdan Sulaiman against Saudi Arabia, 11 June 2021
SINGAPORE, 20 OCTOBER 2021 – Singapore will contest the third and final round of qualification for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup China 2023™ at a centralised venue.
The AFC announced earlier today that all the Final Round matches for the AFC Asian Cup China 2023™ Qualifiers will be converted from the conventional home and away format to single round-robin ties, meaning that each team only plays each other once in a group.
The dates are set for 8, 11 and 14 June 2022 but the match schedule may be adjusted when necessary. The bidding process to all Participating Member Associations to express their interest in hosting the Final Round will be open in due course.
The AFC said: “The decision was taken by the AFC Executive Committee after taking into consideration the existing challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, while prioritising the safety and wellbeing of all stakeholders in the lead-up to the Finals of Asia’s premier men’s national team tournament, which will be held in China PR from June 16 to July 16, 2023.”
All eight fourth-placed teams from the second round of qualification in June, including the Lions, move on to this stage. They are joined by the eight third-placed teams, three worst runners-up, three best fifth-placed teams and two play-off qualifiers (Indonesia and Cambodia).
Tatsuma Yoshida’s charges will be placed into one of six groups of four, where the winners of each will qualify for the AFC Asian Cup China 2023™ to be held from 16 June to 16 July 2023, along with the best five second-placed teams. Details of the draw for the AFC Asian Cup China 2023™ Qualifiers Final Round will be announced later by the AFC.
Singapore will be aiming to reach the Asian Cup for only the second time in their history, after their sole appearance in 1984 as hosts.
