Cambodia team unexpectedly has a chance to compete for tickets to the Asian Cup

(Dan Tri) - The Cambodian team seemed to have lost the chance to compete in the third qualifying round of the 2027 Asian Cup, but now this opportunity has suddenly come back to life after FIFA imposed an embargo on Pakistani football.

Pakistan was the team that defeated Cambodia in the second qualifying round of the 2027 Asian Cup last year. After this victory, Pakistan qualified for the third qualifying round, while Cambodia was eliminated.

The Cambodian team will play a friendly match with the Vietnamese team on March 19 (Photo: Asean Football).

Pakistan has been banned by FIFA, and it is highly likely that the West Asian team will be eliminated from the third qualifying round of the Asian Cup. FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have not made an official announcement, but it is likely that Cambodia will replace Pakistan and enter Group E of the third qualifying round of the 2027 Asian Cup.

This was the case with the Danish team before Euro 1992. At that time, the Yugoslav team eliminated Denmark in the qualifying round. Due to Yugoslavia being banned by FIFA, the team was eliminated from the Euro 1992 finals, Denmark was then replaced and created an earthquake to win the European Championship that year.

In international football, when a team is eliminated due to a ban, the team with the closest ranking to the banned team will be promoted to replace it. Cambodia was the team with the closest ranking to Pakistan in the Asian qualifiers, before Pakistan was banned by FIFA.

Cambodia (blue shirt) can replace Pakistan in the third qualifying round of the 2027 Asian Cup (Photo: FAM).

If replacing Pakistan and competing in Group E of the 3rd qualifying round of the 2027 Asian Cup, Cambodia will be in the same group with Myanmar, Afghanistan and Syria.

Having the opportunity to compete in the third qualifying round of the 2027 Asian Cup has prompted Cambodia to restart their preparations for the tournament. That is also the reason why they have contacted the Vietnamese team, traveling to Binh Duong to play a friendly match with coach Kim Sang Sik's team on March 19.

This is a friendly match taking place right before the third qualifying round of the 2027 Asian Cup begins (the qualifying round of this tournament begins on March 25).

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/doi-tuyen-campuchia-bat-ngo-co-co-hoi-tranh-ve-du-asian-cup-20250210155307851.htm