India gets an automatic qualification in the 2016 AFC U-16 Football Championships final round as host country but would have otherwise booked a berth on its own merit following the team's impressive show in the just-concluded qualifiers in Iran.
Courtesy India's thumping victories over Bahrain (5-0) and Lebanon (6-0), Nicolai Adam's boys finished on six points and finished second from Group E behind Iran (nine points). The country would have qualified on merit as one of the second best placed teams from across 11 groups.
India had lost to Iran 0-3 in the qualifying round tournament held at Tabiz City.
Eleven group winners and four best second-placed teams in the qualifiers will join India in next year's finals, with the tournament hosts receiving an automatic qualification.
Despite the automatic qualification, India still took part in the qualifiers to gain experience as the country is also set to host the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in 2017.
Nepal, who finished second in Group B in the qualifiers, took India's place and made it to AFC Under-16 Championships final round to be held in India from September 15 to October 2 next year.
AIFF Technical Director Scott O'Donell is all smiles over the achievement of the Under-16 boys.
"It is extremely satisfying that the boys have qualified in their own right for the AFC U16 Championships next year. Credit must go to Nicolai and his staff for preparing the boys so well. I was very proud of the boys and their performance," he said.
