May 9 (Xinhua) -- According to "Sports Weekly" reporter Ma Dexing reported that the AFC will carry out the grouping draw ceremony for the third phase of the Asian World Preliminary League 18-team tournament on June 27 in Kuala Lumpur. According to the latest ranking of FIFA, China's men's soccer team is likely to participate in the group draw as the fifth slot. If the Chinese team can successfully get out of the 36-team group, they will be designated as the fifth-ranked team. Currently, China is ranked 13th in Asia, with Bahrain, ranked 12th in Asia, more than 32 points ahead of China. Unless China wins back-to-back matches against Thailand and South Korea in the two rounds of group matches in June, they could overtake Bahrain to become the fourth-tier team.
Therefore, the Chinese men's soccer team is likely to only be the fifth gear identity to participate in the group draw of the 18 strong match. According to the current ranking situation, the Asian World Qualifying Tournament 18 staging situation is roughly as follows: the first gear has Japan, Iran and South Korea; the second gear has Australia, Qatar and Saudi Arabia; the third gear has Iraq, Uzbekistan and the United Arab Emirates; the fourth gear has Jordan, Oman and Bahrain; the fifth gear has China, Syria and Palestine; the sixth gear has Kyrgyzstan, India and Indonesia. According to the draw, AFC officials will draw one team from each bracket to form three groups.
