AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers Final 12 Draw, Manchester United Players Return During the Offseason

Xinhua Net: The draw for the third stage (Final 12) of the Asian qualifiers for the 2022 Qatar World Cup would be held in Kuala Lumpur on July 1. The 12 participating teams were divided into six pots, with teams from the same pot placed in different groups.

Pot 1: Japan, Iran.

Pot 2: China, South Korea.

Pot 6: Lebanon, Vietnam.

The basis for the Final 12 draw pots was the national teams' FIFA rankings.

After the AFC Asian Cup, China national football team had briefly remained first in Asia.

Unfortunately, after two EAFF E-1 Football Championships and the first and second stages of the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers, China national football team had fallen to third in Asia.

Dropping from first to third looked like a major fall, but it was understandable.

After all, Tang Ye had not played a match for the national team since the end of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.

Regarding the upcoming draw, a Xinhua News Agency reporter conducted a video interview with Tang Ye at his home in Guangdong.

Tang Ye's head filled the screen. He was wearing a plain white Adidas T-shirt, with a large bed in the background behind him.

"Mr. Tang, what would you like to say about the Final 12 draw taking place in a week?"

"..."

Tang Ye leaned his upper body over the desk, bringing himself closer to the camera.

"I think being placed in Pot 2 is a bit rough. Japan and Iran are both pretty strong, and having to face either of them really isn't ideal."

Both China national football team and the Chinese Football Association had considered the effect of the Round of 40 matches on the team's FIFA ranking.

But the Round of 40 happened to begin in May, when Borussia Dortmund