The qualification process for the 2004 AFC Asian Cup football competition began on March 2003. Out of the 45 AFC members only Cambodia and the Philippines failed to enter for the tournament. Both China, the hosts and Japan, the reigning champions automatically qualified for the finals. The lowest ranked 20 teams were placed in 6 preliminary qualifying groups of 3 and one group of 2, with the group winners joining the remaining 21 teams in 7 groups of 4. The top two of each of these groups qualified for the finals in China.
Contents
Preliminary round
In the following tables:
Group A
All matches played in Malé, Maldives
Group B
All matches played in Colombo, Sri Lanka
Group C
All matches played in Kathmandu, Nepal
Group D
All matches played in Hong Kong
Group E
All matches played in Singapore
Group F
All matches played in Thimphu, Bhutan
Qualifying round
In the following tables:
Group A
Played in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
Played in Bangkok, Thailand.
Group B
NB: All Palestine's home matches played away.
Group C
Played in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
1 The match was abandoned after 61 minutes with Iran leading 1–0 after North Korea walked off the pitch due to firecrackers thrown from the crowd; despite the instructions of the referee, North Korea refused to return to the pitch. The match was awarded 3–0 to Iran, who were ordered to play their next home match in an official AFC or FIFA competition behind closed doors.
2 The match was abandoned after North Korean immigration officials refused Jordan's team entry into the country, claiming that they had failed to obtain the correct visa. The match was awarded 3–0 to Jordan, while North Korea were found guilty of improper conduct by the AFC, suspended from AFC competitions for one year, and banned from qualifying for the 2007 Asian Cup.
Group E
Played in Incheon, Korea Republic.
Played in Muscat, Oman.
Group F
Played in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Played in Manama, Bahrain.
Group G
NB: All of Sri Lanka's home matches were played away.
1 Syria failed to show up for the match. The match was awarded 3–0 to Turkmenistan.