2021 Futsal World Cup: AFC Adopts Criteria for Selecting Continent's Representatives

Kuala Lumpur, April 22 (QNA) - The Executive Office of the AFC approved the criteria for selecting Asian representatives for the 2021 Futsal World Cup in Lithuania, following the cancellation of the 2020 AFC Futsal Championship in Kuwait as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). The Executive Office adopted two criteria for selecting the teams, the first ranking the five best teams in the final edition of the AFC Futsal Championship in 2018 in Taipei, China, and the second criterion is based on the points system for the best five teams in the last three editions of the tournament in 2014, 2016 and 2018. Based on these criteria, the three best teams, namely Iran, Japan and Uzbekistan, got the cards to directly qualify to represent the continent of Asia in the World Cup, which will be held from September 12 to October 3. In addition, Asian play off matches will be organized between the teams of Iraq, Lebanon, Thailand and Vietnam, in order to determine the holders of the remaining two cards to represent the continent of Asia, as the draw will be held next week at the headquarters of the Asian Football Confederation in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur. Regarding identifying the representatives of the Asian continent in the 2021 Beach Football World Cup in Russia, the Executive Office decided to approve the recommendations of the Futsal and Beach Football Committee in the Federation to adopt the points system, given the results of the top eight teams in the last three editions of the AFC Beach Football Championship. By relying on the points system, Japan, Oman and the UAE national teams got the cards to qualify for the World Cup, which will be held from August 19 to 29. (QNA)