Bangladesh have been handed a tough path in the AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualifiers, as they’ve been drawn in Group C alongside Vietnam, Singapore, and Yemen.
“Singapore and Yemen complete Group C in the qualifiers.”
Among their group rivals, Vietnam stand out as the 2018 runners-up and pose a serious challenge for the young Bangladeshi side.
The draw for the qualifiers was held on Thursday in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. A total of 44 teams have been divided into 11 groups, all competing for a spot in the final tournament. Only the 11 group winners and the four best runners-up will qualify for the main event, set to take place in Saudi Arabia in January 2026.
Interestingly, defending champions Saudi Arabia are participating in the qualifiers but have already secured a spot in the final round as hosts.
Bangladesh had a difficult campaign in the last edition of the qualifiers in 2024, losing all three of their group stage matches to Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines. They finished bottom of their group.
This year’s qualifiers will run from September 1 to 9. Bangladesh will kick off their campaign against host Vietnam on September 3, followed by matches against Yemen on September 6 and Singapore on September 9.
Out of the four teams in Group C, only Vietnam and Yemen have experience playing in the final round of the tournament. Both Singapore and Bangladesh are still waiting to make their debuts on that stage.
In terms of FIFA senior team rankings, all three of Bangladesh’s opponents are ahead. Vietnam are ranked 109th, Yemen 158th, and Singapore 161st, while Bangladesh sit at 183rd.
