ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s football team has been selected in Group D along with Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Chinese Taipei for the qualifiers of the upcoming AFC Futsal Asian Cup Indonesia 2026, the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) confirmed on Thursday.

Thirty-one teams have confirmed their participation for the 11th qualifiers, which will take place between September 20 to 24. The draw has divided the teams into eight groups— seven groups of four and one group of three— with each to be played in a centralized league format.

“Our journey to the AFC Futsal Asian Cup Indonesia 2026 begins in Group D, sharing the pitch with hosts Saudi Arabia,” the PFF wrote on social media platform X.

“An exciting draw that sets the stage for some incredible matches. Time to prepare!“

India are in Group A with Kuwait, Australia and Mongolia while top seeds Thailand will have to contend with Korea Republic, Bahrain and Brunei Darussalam in Group B.

Four-time winners Japan are the top seeds in Group C with hosts Tajikistan, Macau and Cambodia their challengers. Group E will see Vietnam, Lebanon, hosts China and Hong Kong face each other while Group F includes Uzbekistan, Kyrgyz Republic (hosts), Timor-Leste and Palestine.

Iran, Malaysia, United Arab Emirates and Bangladesh are part of Group G while Afghanistan, Myanmar and Maldives are part of Group H.

The AFC Futsal Asian Cup Indonesia 2026 will be contested from January 27-February 7.

EASTBOPURNE, UK: Barbora Krejcikova faces a race to prove her fitness in time to defend the Wimbledon title after the Czech pulled out of the Eastbourne Open with a thigh injury on Thursday.

Krejcikova was due to face France’s Varvara Gracheva in the quarter-finals at Devonshire Park, but announced her withdrawal just hours before the match.

The world number 17 suffered the problem on Wednesday during her second-round victory over Britain’s Jodie Burrage.

The injury worsened overnight and, with her Wimbledon first-round tie scheduled for Tuesday, the 29-year-old opted not to risk aggravating it.

Krejcikova is awaiting the outcome of a scan before deciding if she will be fit to chase a second successive title at the All England Club.

“I’m very sorry to have to withdraw from my quarter-final today in Eastbourne as I’m having some soreness in my right thigh,” Krejcikova said.

“Overnight it just didn’t get any better, it actually got worse. I think it’s better with Wimbledon in the next couple of days just to rest it and to see what’s going on and to resolve that.”

Krejcikova has endured a difficult time since defeating Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in the women’s singles final at Wimbledon last year.

She lost in the second round of the recent French Open and also missed January’s Australian Open with a back injury, which kept her sidelined until May.

Krejcikova made a poor start to the grass-court season with a shock loss against Slovakia’s Rebecca Sramkova in the first round at Queen’s Club earlier this month.

The two-time Grand Slam champion had to save two match points before beating Britain’s Harriet Dart in the Eastbourne first round.

The second seed saved three more match points against Burrage.