2019 ASIAN CUP
2019 Asian Cup qualifying final round: draw made
The draw was held on Monday for the final qualifying round of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, which is to take place in the UAE.
India were pitted against Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar and Macau when the draw for the final round of qualifying for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup took place Monday.
India, which like other Asian nations has invested heavily in football in recent years, is hoping to reach its first Asian Cup finals since 2011.
24 teams to contest expanded 2019 Asian Cup
The final qualifying round sees six groups of four battling it out for the remaining 12 spots available, with the winner and runner-up from each group qualifying for the finals.
Australia are the current holders of the tournament, which is held every four years.
The 2019 finals, which take place in the UAE, will be contested for the first time by 24 teams. The current format features only 16 nations.
AFC chief: "2019 finals will be historic"
Speaking at the draw, AFC vice-president Chung Mong Gyu, said the tournament was the "pinnacle of football in Asia".
"The AFC Asian Cup 2019 in UAE will be historic," he said. "More countries will be involved and more fans will follow the matches across Asia and beyond."
Qualifiers begin later this year on March 28.
The official logo for the tournament was also unveiled prior to Monday's draw.
2019 Asian Cup qualifying groups:
Group A: Kyrgyzstan, India, Myanmar, Macau.
Group B: North Korea, Hong Kong, Lebanon, Malaysia.
Group C: Jordan, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Cambodia
Group D: Oman, Palestine, Maldives, Bhutan.
Group E: Bahrain, Turkmenistan, Taiwan, Singapore
Group F: Philippines, Tajikistan, Yemen, Nepal.