The focus of Asian futsal will be on hosts Islamic Republic of Iran as they kick off their title defence against Hong Kong in Group A of the 2019 AFC U-20 Futsal Championship at the Pour Sharifi Indoor Stadium, Tabriz on Friday at 7:30pm (local time).
Standing in their way are 11 of the most promising sides on the Continent, who will compete for the trophy from June 14 to 22 having sealed their final spots after a tough qualifying campaign that showcased the development of Asian futsal.
Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President, Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa said: "The AFC is resolute in our commitment to stage top level competitions for our Member Associations and the growth in technical ability and tactical maturity of Asian futsal teams is a clear example of the progress of the sport and of our competitions.
"This is the first time we have introduced the qualifying programme for age-group futsal, which once again showcased the growing standards of our Member Associations and I have no doubts that we will witness some compelling action which will excite and enthuse our fans and I wish all 12 teams the very best."
The 12 teams were drawn into four groups with the top two sides advancing into the quarter-finals and leading the challenge are 2017 runners-up, Iraq who will open the tournament in the day's earlier kick-off at 12pm (local time) when they take on Group D opponents, Chinese Taipei.
Group C favourites, Japan are also in action on the opening day as the Samurai Blue look to reignite their rivalry with Tajikistan at 2:30pm, in a re-match which saw both sides share the spoils in a thrilling 5-5 draw in the last edition.
Meanwhile, Thailand, hosts of the inaugural edition and third place finishers two years ago, will be looking to make amends for their shootout semi-final defeat to IR Iran with a strong start when they face Kyrgyz Republic in Group B at 5pm.
All 20 matches will be played at the Pour Sharifi Indoor Stadium in Tabriz and will be available live via the
AFC's YouTube channel. Log onto the AFC's social media platforms to stay up to date with the latest drama and excitement as the Continent's emerging futsal talent compete for the ultimate prize.
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