National U-23 practices to prepare for the 2020 AFC U-23 Championship qualification will be starting tonight.

Maldives is grouped among the strong gulf sides, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Lebanon in group D. The qualification round is to begin on 22nd March 2019. The team will start its practices under instructions by the senior team head coach Petar Segart and assistant coach of senior team Ahmed Shakir (Shakittey). Impressive players from upcoming FAM U-21 Youth Championship is to be also selected for the national team and the association is trying its best to finish the tournament as quickly as possible due to this reason.

Maldives will meet Saudi Arabia in the group opening match on 22nd March 2019. The second fixture for Maldives will be against United Arab Emirates on a day after, 24th March. And in the final group stage match, Maldives will face Lebanon on 26th March.

Out of 47 member nations of Asian Football Confederation (AFC), 44 nations will take part in the qualification round. That is 24 teams from west zone, 20 teams from east zone. A noticeable side from south region of Asia, Bhutan has not taken part in the tournament.

As the qualification tournament draw was taken on November 7th , 2018 in the main AFC house located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, total 44 teams have being drawn into 11 groups, 4 teams in each equally. 11 group winners will advance to the final tournament, 2020 AFC U-23 Championship, Thailand. Followed with the best four runner-ups from all the groups.

Final tournament will be hosted in Thailand. Though Thailand gets an automatic place in the final tournament, they have decided to take part in the qualification phase too. Therefor if Thailand sits among the best four runner-ups of all the groups, then their chance will be handover to the best fifth runner-up team among all the groups.

Photo: FAM Facebook