India was pitted against Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar and Macau when the draw for the final round of qualifying for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup took place Monday. India, which like other Asian nations has invested heavily in football in recent years, is hoping to reach its first Asian Cup Finals since 2011. The final qualifying round sees six groups of four battling it out for the remaining 12 spots available. The winner and runner-up from each group will qualify for the Finals, which are held every four years. Australia is the current holder. The 2019 tournament, which takes place in the UAE, will be contested for the first time by 24 teams. The current format features only 16 nations. The 2019 Asian Cup will begin on Jan. 5 and will be played over 28 days across eight stadiums in the United Arab Emirates, the continent's soccer governing body said. The Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi will play host to the opening game and the final on Feb. 1 in the region's premier tournament for the member nations. Three stadiums in Abu Dhabi and two each in Dubai and Al-Ain and one in Sharjah will host the tournament, which will feature 24 teams for the first time after expanding from 16 in the last edition in Australia in 2015. Defending champion Australia, China, Iraq, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Thailand, Uzbekistan and host United Arab Emirates have sealed their spots for the tournament. Speaking at the draw, AFC Vice President Chung Mong Gyu, said the tournament was the "pinnacle of football in Asia". "The AFC Asian Cup 2019 in UAE will be historic," he said. "More countries will be involved and more fans will follow the matches across Asia and beyond." Qualifiers begin later this year on March 28. The official logo for the tournament was also unveiled prior to Monday's draw. Group A: Kyrgyzstan, India, Myanmar, Macau. Group B: North Korea, Hong Kong, Lebanon, Malaysia. Group C: Jordan, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Cambodia. Group D: Oman, Palestine, Maldives, Bhutan. Group E: Bahrain, Turkmenistan, Taiwan, Singapore. Group F: Philippines, Tajikistan, Yemen, Nepal.
