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Photo: Lao U-23

The nine men’s football teams competing in the 25th Southeast Asian Games next month in Laos were divided into two groups via a drawing ceremony in Vientiane Nov. 9.

Group A has defending champions Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, East Timor and Cambodia. Hosts Laos are in Group B together with runners-up Myanmar, Singapore and Indonesia.

After the group stage, the top two teams of each group will go through to the semifinals.

Both the men’s football and the women’s football will take place in the Lao capital of Vientiane.

The men’s football will kick off on December 3 and the final is set for Dec. 17. The two venues are the 20,000-seat National Sports Complex stadium and the Chao Anouvong Stadium, also with the same seating capacity.

The men’s football is limited to U-23 teams in stead of the national squads.

The women’s football will start on Dec. 4 and finish on Dec. 14. The two venues are Chao Anouvong and the National University Stadium, which has only 6,000 seats. The five nation squads of Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam will play in a round-robin format. Then the top two teams will play the final.

Laos will be hosting the SEA Games next month for the first time. The opening ceremony is set for Dec. 9 and the closing ceremony scheduled on Dec. 18.

On Nov. 9, the SEA Games organizing committee also held draw for badminton, water polo, sepak takraw, table tennis, volleyball and beach volleyball