The 16-nation competition will be staged in the two venues of Yangon and Nay Pyi Taw in October with the top four teams qualifying for the FIFA U-20 World Cup to be played in New Zealand next year, the-afc.com reported.

Myanmar, who are hosting the tournament for the first time, are in Group A where they meet tournament contenders Iran, neighbours Thailand and Yemen.

The semi-finalists of the AFC U-19 Championship 2012 Uzbekistan and Australia will join the previous edition’s hosts UAE and Indonesia in Group B. Both Uzbekistan and Australia had managed a place in the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey where Uzbekistan bowed out in the quarter-finals. Losing finalists of 2012 Iraq are seeded in Group D where they face challenges in the form of DPR Korea, Qatar and Oman. Iraq had a brilliant run-in in the U-20 World Cup after finishing fourth.

The Group A and B matches will be played at the Yangon’s Youth Training Centre Stadium while the Group C and D matches will be held at the Zeyar Thiri Stadium in Nay Pyi Taw. The semi-finals and final will be staged in Yangon.

The Groups:
Group A: Myanmar, Iran, Thailand, Yemen
Group B: Uzbekistan, Australia, UAE, Indonesia
Group C: Korea Republic, Japan, China, Vietnam
Group D: Iraq, DPR Korea, Qatar, Oman