Based on the special FIFA Ranking released for Asian teams on June 18, top seeds Japan and the Islamic Republic of Iran took their places in Pot 1, with Pot 2 comprising Australia and Korea Republic, while Pot 3 included Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The draw results for the final round of the 2022 FIFA World Cup Asian Qualifiers.

Pot 4 contained Iraq and China, followed by Oman and Syria in Pot 5 and debutants Vietnam and Lebanon completing the line-up in Pot 6.

According to the draw results, coach Park Hang-seo’s Vietnamese side will be joined by powerhouse Japan, Australia, Saudi Arabia, China and Oman in Group B.

Group A features the remaining six teams, including the continent’s second-ranked IR Iran, Korea Republic, the UAE, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon.

Vietnam will be joined by powerhouse Japan, Australia, Saudi Arabia, China and Oman in Group B.

The final round of the Asian Qualifiers will begin in September and end in March 2022, with the 12 teams playing home-and-away round-robin matches in their groups.

The top two teams of each group will directly qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and the two third-placed teams will advance to the Asian playoff to determine the side that will advance to the international playoff.

The AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar is scheduled to be played on the following 10 match days: September 2 and 7, October 7 and 12, and November 11 and 16, 2021, as well as January 27 and February 1, 2022, before reaching its climax on March 24 and 29, 2022.

Only 7 days quarantine for national football team

The Ministry of Health has agreed to let the national football team quarantine for only seven days after returning from the UAE.

Farmers and football: the Vietnamese women scoring big on the field

Legs stiff from long days in the rice terraces, scores of female farmers dressed in colorful cloth headbands and skirts gather on a gravel pitch for a game of football.

Vietnam national women's football team ascend world rankings

The women’s national football team moved up one spot in the FIFA rankings update to remain atop Southeast Asia.

Vietnam edge up football world rankings

Despite not playing for a long time, Vietnam moved up one place in the latest FIFA rankings.

Members of national men’s football team receive Covid-19 vaccinations

Members of the national men’s football team and head coach Park Hang-seo received Covid-19 vaccinations on April 5.

Source: NDO