Vietnam currently rank 96th in the world and 17th in Asia in the FIFA rankings. (Photo: VNA) The Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) said under the previousseeding methodology, as one of the 12 teams advancing to the final qualifyinground of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Vietnam would be in Pot 2.
However, the AFC has decided to seed teams based on their latestpositions in the FIFA men’s world rankings right before the draw. Vietnamcurrently rank 96th in the world and 17th in Asia, so itis impossible to move to the 12th place in Asia (the lowest positionfor a team in Pot 2) on the FIFA rankings to be released on April 6.
That meansVietnam will be in Pot 3. Others in the same pot at present are Bahrain (13th in Asia), Syria (14th),Palestine (15th), Kyrgyzstan (16th), and Lebanon (18th).
Vietnam are also the only Southeast Asian representative inPot 3. Other Southeast Asian teams, namely Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia,are in Pot 4.
After the FIFA world rankingsare updated on April 6, the AFC will officially announce the four pots in the 2023 AFC Asian Cup draw, scheduled to take place in Doha, Qatar, on May 11.
Twenty-four teams in the 2023 AFC Asian Cup will be dividedinto six four-team groups competing in a round-robin format. The first- andsecond-place teams of each group, together with the four best-performingthird-place teams will enter the round of 16.
The tournament is set to be held in Qatar from January 12 toFebruary 10, 2024./.
VNA
