LAHORE, Aug 23: Pakistan will take part in first Asian Football Confederation Challenge Cup being introduced by the Asian body from next year.

The competition, which will make debut in 2006, will feature the national teams of 17 countries and will be held on a biennial basis in a single country.

The nations that have been selected to compete in the AFC Challenge Cup, besides Pakistan, are Afghanistan, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, Guam, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Macau, Mongolia, Nepal, Palestine, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tajikistan and East Timor.

The AFC has divided its 45 member nations into three different levels and created club competitions for each level.

The top 14 countries play in the AFC Champions League, as many countries compete in the AFC Cup and now the remaining 17 ‘emerging’ nations are to take part in the AFC President’s Cup.