The continental tournament AFC Asian Cup 2023 is back. Saudi Arabia City Qutar is set to host the tournament, which also has the privilege of hosting the FIFA World Cup 2022. The Middle Eastern city has previously staged the Asian Cup in 1998 and 2011. Here’s what you need to know about AFC Asian Cup:-
When does the tournament start?
AFC Asian Cup kicks off on Friday, January 11 at 7 pm (16:00 GMT) at the Lusail Stadium, where defending champion Qatar will face off against regional rivals Lebanon in the first match of group A.
The group stage will run till Thursday, January 25 with Saudi Arabia vs Thailand as the last fixture.
The round of 16 will commence on Sunday, January 28, and run till 31st.
The Quarterfinal and Semi-final will be played in February.
Quarterfinal: 1,2 February
Semifinal: 6,7 February
The tournament will conclude with the final game on Sunday, 11 February in Lusail at 6 pm (15:00 GMT)
List of Participating Teams in AFC Asian Cup
Having a year-long qualification phase, 24 teams cut, while China was barred from the tournament due to the original hosting right issue. Hong Kong made a strong return after five decades and India secured a second appearance consecutively in the Asian tournament.
Here’s the list of group-wise participating countries:
Group A: Qatar, China, Tajikistan, Lebanon
Group B: Australia, Uzbekistan, Syria, India
Group C: Iran, UAE, Palestine, Hong Kong
Group D: Japan, Indonesia, Iraq, Vietnam
Group E: South Korea, Malaysia, Jordan, Bahrain
Group F: Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Kyrgyzstan, Oman
Where to watch AFC Asian Cup
- India: Sports 18 Network/ Jio Cinema
- United Kingdom (UK): FITE TV
- International: DAZN JP
Top Players to watch out for in AFC Asian Cup
Son Heung Min (South Korea)
The 31-year-old forward leads Tottenham Hotspurs in the Premier League and has been in incredible form this season. Son has scored 12 goals so far and his record for the national team is brilliant. He has played 116 games for South Korea and has scored 41 goals. It’ll be interesting to watch if he will be able to lead South Korea to a third title or not.
Sunil Chhetri (India)
The 39-year-old forward will be among the top players to watch out for. Throughout his career, Sunil Chhetri has broken several records and achieved significant milestones. However, during the FIFA World Cup qualification round he didn’t score a single goal for The Blue Tigers. Whether it’s surpassing legendary footballers in goal-scoring charts or achieving personal milestones, he has left an indelible mark on Indian football history.