[Official] Lee Min-seong's 'Avoided Japan, China, Vietnam' Asian Games Men's Football Assigned as Top Seed... Draw on the 23rd

*This content was translated by AI.

The South Korea U23 men's national football team competing in the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya (Japan) Asian Games men's football tournament has been assigned to Pot 1, the top seed, for the group draw.

According to the Korea Football Association on the 20th, South Korea, led by head coach Lee Min-seong, was placed in Pot 1 of the group draw along with Japan, China, and Vietnam based on their final standings in the AFC U23 Asian Cup held last January.

A total of 15 teams will participate in this year's Asian Games men's football tournament. The competition will proceed by dividing the teams into four groups of three or four teams each for a group stage, followed by an eight-team knockout tournament featuring the top two teams from each group. Group D will consist of three teams, while Groups A through C will each have four teams.

The group draw is scheduled to take place at 1:30 p.m. on the 23rd in Nagoya, Japan. The draws for water polo and handball will be held first, followed by the football draw.

In the men's football group draw, one team from each pot will be assigned to a single group. South Korea cannot be drawn into the same group as Japan, China, or Vietnam, which are in the same pot.

Pot 2 includes Uzbekistan, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, and Thailand. Pot 3 consists of Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Qatar, and the Philippines. Kuwait, Hong Kong, and North Korea are in Pot 4.

Meanwhile, a total of 12 teams will participate in the women's football tournament, divided into three groups of four teams each for the group stage. The top team from each group, the second-place team from each group, and the two best third-placed teams across all groups will advance to the quarterfinals.

The women's football pots were assigned based on the final standings of the AFC Women's Asian Cup held in March. Under head coach Shin Sang-woo, the Yeo Ja (CEO) team was also placed in Pot 1, the top seed, alongside Japan and China.

- Pot 1: Japan, China, Vietnam, South Korea

- Pot 2: Uzbekistan, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Thailand

- Pot 3: Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Qatar, Philippines

- Pot 4: Kuwait, Hong Kong, North Korea

- Pot 1: Japan, China, South Korea

- Pot 2: North Korea, Philippines, Chinese Taipei

- Pot 3: Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Bangladesh

- Pot 4: Myanmar, Thailand, Hong Kong

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*This content was translated by AI.