How can India qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup after North Korea’s withdrawal from the Asian Cup?

India received a major boost to its hopes of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA Under-17 World Cup after the Democratic Republic of Korea withdrew from the U-17 AFC Asian Cup last week.

Korea DPR, also known as North Korea, was drawn against India, Australia and Uzbekistan in the U-17 Asian Cup, which will take place in Saudi Arabia between May 5 and 22. Nine teams from the Asian Cup will play at the World Cup, including host country Qatar.

However, a late withdrawal from Korea meant that only three teams from the group would compete.

How can that boost India’s World Cup hopes?

The best two teams from each group qualify for the U-17 World Cup. As a result, India will now have to finish in the top two out of a three-team pool to qualify for the World Cup.

India has two matches in the group stage:

• India vs Australia

• India vs Uzbekistan

How can India qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup?

Scenario 1: India wins one match and draws/wins the other (4 points or more) — With at least four points, India will qualify.

Scenario 2: India wins one match and loses the other (3 points) — If the team that beats India also loses the other match, India qualifies.

But if each team wins one match each, the teams get three points each. Then the following criteria are considered.

• Points in head-to-head matches between teams with an equal result;

• Goal difference in head-to-head matches between teams with an equal result.

• Goals scored in head-to-head matches between teams with an equal result;

• If more than two teams were tied, and after applying all of the above head-to-head criteria, a subset of teams was still tied, all of the above head-to-head criteria were reapplied exclusively to this subset of teams;

• Goal difference in all group matches;

• Goals scored in all group matches;

• Penalties if only two teams were tied and they met in the final round of the group.

• Disciplinary points (yellow card = 1 point, red card as a result of two yellow cards = 3 points, direct red card = 3 points, yellow card followed by direct red card = 4 points);

• Draw.

Scenario 3: India will draw both matches (2 points) — India will qualify if the third match of the group stage ends with all but a draw.

If Uzbekistan vs Australia ends in a draw, all three teams will finish with the same points. Then the following criteria are considered.

• Points in head-to-head matches between teams with an equal result;

• Goal difference in head-to-head matches between teams with an equal result.

• Goals scored in head-to-head matches between teams with an equal result;

• If more than two teams were tied, and after applying all of the above head-to-head criteria, a subset of teams was still tied, all of the above head-to-head criteria were reapplied exclusively to this subset of teams;

• Goal difference in all group matches;

• Goals scored in all group matches;

• Penalties if only two teams were tied and they met in the final round of the group.

• Disciplinary points (yellow card = 1 point, red card as a result of two yellow cards = 3 points, direct red card = 3 points, yellow card followed by direct red card = 4 points);

• Draw.

Scenario 4: India draws one match and loses the other (1 point) — The other match will have to be a draw, India will have to lose by a small margin and score in its draw. Only then will India have a chance of qualifying.

Has India participated in the FIFA U-17 World Cup before?

India has participated in the FIFA U-17 World Cup just once in 2017, when it qualified as hosts by default. It has yet to qualify for the World Cup on merit.

Published on April 28, 2026