The draw for the AFC first group phase of qualifiers for the 2022 Men’s World Cup was held on WED 17 JUL 2019 at the AFC headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The teams in each group play one another twice. The matches are to be played THU 05 SEP 2019-TUE 09 JUN 2020. The first placed team in each group, and the four best second placed teams, advance to the AFC final round, from which four teams qualify for the 2022 Men’s World Cup. A fifth team will advance to the playoffs.

The competition also forms part of the qualifiers for the 2023 Men’s Asian Cup. Accordingly, Qatar are taking part, even though they qualify automatically for the 2022 Men’s World Cup as the host nation. If Qatar finish atop Group E or in the top four of the second placed teams, the fifth best second placed team will advance to the final round instead.

• Group A: China PR, Guam, Maldives, Philippines, Syria
• Group B: Australia, Chinese Taipei, Jordan, Kuwait, Nepal
• Group C: Bahrain, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Iran, Iraq
• Group D: Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Uzbekistan, Yemen
• Group E: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Oman, Qatar
• Group F: Japan, Kyrgyz Rep, Mongolia, Myanmar, Tajikistan
• Group G: Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam
• Group H: Korea DPR, Korea Rep, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Turkmenistan