AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers: India to face Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangladesh in Group C

The AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers third round will see as many as 24 teams compete for six spots. These teams have been divided into six groups of four teams each.

December 9, 2024

The India national football team were drawn in Group C of the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers third round following the official draw at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Monday, December 9.

As many as 24 teams were divided into six groups of four teams each at the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers third round draw.

Organised by the Asian Football Confederation, the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers third round will see the 24 participating teams compete for six remaining berths. A total of 18 teams have already booked their place in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 after the second round of qualifying.

As per the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers third round format, the matches will be staged in a round-robin format on a home-away-basis from March 2025 to March 2026.

Only the group winners of each group will qualify for the AFC Asian Cup 2027 scheduled to be held in Saudi Arabia.

Currently placed 127th in the FIFA men’s rankings, India are placed in Group C of the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers third round alongside Hong Kong (156th), Singapore (161st) and Bangladesh (185th).

Know AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers third round teams and groups.

AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers third round teams and groups

Group A: Tajikistan, Philippines, Maldives, Timor-Leste

Group B: Lebanon, Yemen, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam

Group C: India, Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangladesh

Group D: Thailand, Turkmenistan, Chinese Taipei, Sri Lanka

Group E: Syria, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Pakistan

Group F: Vietnam, Malaysia, Nepal, Laos

Under the tutelage of head coach Manolo Márquez, the India national football team will begin their AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers third round campaign against Bangladesh at home on March 25 next year.

India have played against all three opponents in recent years. The Blue Tigers previously faced Bangladesh in the SAFF Championship 2021 while they played Hong Kong in the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers in Kolkata in June 2022, and against Singapore in the Hưng Thịnh Friendly Tournament in Vietnam in September 2022.

Since the inception of the AFC Asian Cup in 1956, India have previously qualified for the marquee tournament on five occasions in 1964, 1984, 2011, 2019 and 2023.

Get India football team’s third round schedule for AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers Round 3.