LAHORE, June 25: Seventeen teams including defending champions Army will participate in the 18th National under-20 football championship to be held at Abbottabad on July 18-28.

Army, Fata, four provinces, Wapda, KRL, Police, POF, Northern Areas, AJ&K, PTCL, HEC, Pakistan Education Board, Federal Education Board and Islamabad will participate.

At the end of 11-day event, the PFF will select a national team for the qualifying round of the AFC U-20 championship-2006 to be held in Tajikistan on Nov 23-27.

Pakistan are placed in Pool ‘E’ with Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

Pakistan will take on Uzbekistan on Nov 23 and Tajikistan on Nov 25. The two Central Asian nations will meet on Nov 27.