Hello and welcome to Fairfax Media's live blog of the 2015 Asian Cup draw. The proceedings are underway at the Sydney Opera House where Football Federation of Australia chairman Frank Lowy has just spoken.

"We want to play our part in the rise of Asian football by being great hosts for the AFC Asian Cup and showcasing Australian and Asian football to more than half a billion people watching around the world. Today is the most important night in the lead up to the kick-off," Lowy said.

So a bit of preamble: Australia is seeded in pot one alongside Iran, Uzbekistan and Japan and can not be selected with either teams, but there are still plenty of giants that the Socceroos could be seeded with.

Pot two consists of : South Korea, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Jordan.

Pot three includes: Oman, China, Qatar and Iraq.

Pot four is comprised of: Bahrain, Kuwait, North Korea and the winner of the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup.

My dream group, I'd love the Socceroos to draw Saudi Arabia, China, and I have my fingers crossed for either Palestine or Afghanistan qualifying as the challenge cup winner.  

China will ensure a great atmosphere, Saudi are a historic strong team but weak these days while Afghanistan or Palestine will provide the fairytale.

And the first ball drawn from pot four to be selected in group A is...

Kuwait!

North Korea has been drawn from Pot 4 and selected in Group B.

So just to confirm, Kuwait has been drawn in Group A with Australia.

Oman has been selected in Group A with Kuwait and what should be Australia, while China has been drawn with North Korea in Group B.

So far we have...

Group A:Kuwait, Oman,

Group B: China, North Korea

Group C: Qatar, Bahrain

Group D: Challenge Cup winner, Iraq.

And there it is, South Korea drawn in Group A with Oman, Kuwait and what should certainly be Australia as host nation.

Saudi Arabia have been drawn in Group B with China and North Korea.

UAE selected in Group C with Qatar and Bahrain. A Gulf feel to this group already.

Australia confirmed Group A. We have so far:

Group A: Kuwait, Oman, South Korea, Australia

Group B: China, North Korea, Saudi Arabia.

Group C: Qatar, Bahrain,

Group D: Challenge Cup winner, Iraq.

Uzbekistan is picked in Group B, while Iran selected in Group C.

Group B: China, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan.

Group C: Qatar, Bahrain, UAE, Iran.

And the final Group D is Japan.

Group D: AFC Challenge Cup winner, Iraq, Jordan and Japan.

The horses are all in, the final groups for the 2015 Asian Cup are as such:

Group A: Kuwait, Oman, South Korea and Australia.

Group B: North Korea, China, Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan.

Group C: Bahrain, Qatar, UAE and Iran.

Group D: AFC Challenge Cup winner, Iraq, Jordan and Japan.

Another draw, another tough task for the Socceroos. The one team Ange Postecoglou wanted to avoid from pot two was South Korea and of course they will come up against Australia. It's not the hardest possible outcome as we've avoided a match-up with Iraq from pot three and North Korea from pot four but Kuwait and Oman will provide stern tests for the hosts.

The selection of South Korea, the strongest nation in the second pot is the team every seeded nation wanted to avoid and in all honesty, the Koreans could feel aggreived that they weren't among Iran, Australia and Japan as the four best nations. The Socceroos clash with South Korea will surely decide top spot in Group A.

Here's a look at the Socceroos schedule for the group stage. Pencil in January 17 in Brisbane, this game will be massive.

January 9: Australia v Kuwait in Melbourne. 

January 13: Australia v Oman in Sydney

January 17: Australia v South Korea in Brisbane.

Elsewhere, Group D is probably the most difficult at first glance. We don't know the AFC Challenge Cup winner just yet but Iraq, Jordan and Japan are three very strong football nations.

Japan should win this comfortably, but the battle for second place is already looming as a tense one with still one nation yet to be decided.

The top two from Group A including Australia, Kuwait, Oman and South Korea will play the top two from Group B: Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia, China and North Korea.

Just on Group B, this has the potential to be the most entertaining group from a neutral persepective. Saudi Arabia have long since been a powerhouse of Asia and their last moment came in 2007 when they lost the final to Iraq. They are ruthless in their hiring and firing of coaches and their players rarely - if ever - move overseas to further their careers.

In saying that, they still have the potential to get it rightf come Cup time and at very least will test their opponents.

Uzbekistan by contrast are an emerging strength in Asia and reached the semi final stage of the 2011 Asian Cup. They will be bookies favourites to top this group.

China have invested heavily in football but are yet to see any reward when it comes to their national team but perhaps that could change in Australia while North Korea are the great wildcard of the group. They impressed the world to qualify for the 2010 World Cup but did little to build on that since. Watch this space.

For those who have just tuned in, here is a recap of the four groups for the 2015 Asian Cup.

Group A: Kuwait, Oman, South Korea and Australia.

Group B: North Korea, China, Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan.

Group C: Bahrain, Qatar, UAE and Iran.

Group D: 2014 AFC Challenge Cup winner, Iraq, Jordan and Japan.

socceroos draw korea in pool. if socceroos finish 2nd in pool they would play semifinal in newcastle @newcastleherald — James Gardiner (@JamesGardiner42) March 26, 2014

What is your take on the draw? Which games are you most looking forward to in the group stage? Can the Socceroos get out of Group A?

Submit your comments.

And that's it from me, thanks for tuning in to Fairfax Media's live blog of the 2015 Asian Cup draw.