LAHORE, May 23: Nineteen teams participating in the 2nd National Under-21 football championship have been divided into six groups. The championship is starting from Thursday and being organized by Wohaib Club on behalf of the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF).

The competition will start with an exhibition match between host Wohaib Club and defending champions Pakistan Army.

The manager's meeting will be held at PFF Secretariat at noonon the same day.

There are five groups comprising three teams each while one group has four sides.

Army, who won the first edition 15 years ago at Faisalabad, are in Group-F with Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Lahore's Hodes FC.

Punjab, who lost to Army on tie-breaker in Faisalabad's final, will show their mettle in Group-A where other teams are Northern Areas and Karachi's Mauripur Baloch.

Host Wohaib Club are in Group C with NWFP and Wah's Pakistan Ordnance Factory (POF).

Pakistan Navy, City Club, Lahore, Mardan Club and Islamabad are in Group-E.

Group-B comprises Sindh, Chaman's Afghan FC and Gwadar Port Authority while Balochistan, Dera Ismail Khan's Dera X1 and Pakistan Railways are in Group-D.

After completion of 21 group matches from May 26 to 28 at four different centres, top teams will qualify for the quarterfinals. From thereon all matches, including final, will be held at the Railway Stadium.

Meanwhile, organisers picked Punjab University's New Campus ground in place of of Iqbal Park Complex.

The grounds at the Iqbal Park are bumpy and unplayable, a spokesman of the PFF said.

The schedule of 29 matches will be announced on Wednesday.

VENUES :

Punjab University Old Campus ground, Chauburji

Group-A: Punjab, Northern Areas, Mauripur Baloch

Group-C: NWFP, Wohaib FC, Pakistan Ordnance Factory

Punjab Stadium, Ferozpur Road

Group-B: Sindh, Afghan FC, Gwadar Port Authority

Group-F: Army, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Hodes FC

Punjab University New Campus ground.

Group-E: Islamabad, Pakistan Navy, Mardan Club, City Club.

Railway Stadium, Garhi Shahue

Group-D: Railways, Balochistan, Dera XI

Second Phase: Quarterfinals, semifinals, third-place match. Final.