Futsalroos start preparations for AFC Futsal Asian Cup following draw | Football Australia

After breaking an eight-year drought to qualify for the AFC Futsal Asian Cup Thailand 2024™, the Futsalroos have been drawn in Group B alongside four-time runners-up Uzbekistan, 2016 quarter-finalists Iraq and Saudi Arabia who will feature in their third AFC Futsal Asian Cup™.

The 17th edition of the tournament will be held from April 17 to 28 and will feature 16 teams including Thailand, who automatically qualified as hosts and are staging the tournament for a third time. The teams will contest a one-round league format, with the top two finishers in each group qualifying to the quarter-finals.

Following the draw, Futsalroos Head Coach Miles Downie said: “We are very excited to have qualified for the 2024 AFC Futsal Asian Cup in Thailand and are looking forward to competing in April.

“I know this squad is really excited by the opportunity that lies ahead to play against some of the best teams in Asia and pave the way forward for Australian Futsal.

“The upcoming National Futsal Championships in January will be an important event in determining what the squad looks like now that we know more about the opponents we'll face in the tournament. 

“I believe in the potential of our players, and we are committed to forging a path that not only leads to success on the court but also contributes to the growth and recognition of our nation in the global futsal community,” Downie concluded. 

The top four finishers at the AFC Futsal Asian Cup Thailand 2024™ will qualify for the FIFA Futsal World Cup Uzbekistan 2024™, which will take place in 2024 between September 14 and October 6, marking the first time the global showpiece will be held in Central Asia.

As Uzbekistan have automatically qualified as hosts, the fifth-placed team will