The stage is set for the football extravaganza as the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2024 kicks off in Lusail Stadium on January 12.
The prestigious tournament brings together the best national teams from across the Asian continent. Against the backdrop of Qatar’s state-of-the-art stadiums and the successful World Cup Campaign, football enthusiasts are poised for a month-long spectacle.
As nations vie for glory, Qatar 2024 promises unforgettable moments, intense rivalries, and a celebration of the beautiful game. In this article, We will take you through everything you need to know before the showdown.
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AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2024: Everything You Need To Know
Format
The twenty-four teams are divided into six groups from A to F. The teams will play a round robin in each of the groups. The top two from each group directly advance to the Knockouts.
In addition to the top two from groups, Four best third-placed teams will also advance to the knockouts.
The Knockouts consists of Quarter Finals, Semi Finals, and a Final.
Groups and Teams
There are six groups in the championship.
A: China, Lebanon, Tajikistan, Qatar
B: Australia, India, Syria, Uzbekistan
C: Hong Kong, Iran, Palestine, UAE
D: Indonesia, Iraq, Japan, Vietnam
E: Bahrain, Jordan, Malaysia, South Korea
F: Kyrgyzstan, Oman, Thailand, Saudi Arabia
Out of the 24 participating teams, 20 are returning from the 2019 edition of the AFC Asian Cup. Tajikistan is making its debut, and Hong Kong reenters after 56 years.
Indonesia and Malaysia qualify for the first time since hosting the 2007 tournament. Notably, four teams from the previous edition (North Korea, Turkmenistan, Yemen, and the Philippines) did not qualify.
India represents the SAFF, while five teams from the AFF (Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam) reach the finals for the first time. From WAFF, only Yemen and Kuwait failed to qualify. Iran maintains a remarkable streak with their 15th consecutive appearance since 1968.
Venues
| AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|
| City | Stadium | Capacity |
| Al Khor | Al Bayt Stadium | 68,895 |
| Lusail | Lusail Stadium | 88,966 |
| Al Rayyan | Ahmad bin Ali Stadium | 45,032 |
| Education City Stadium | 44,667 | |
| Jassim bin Hamad Stadium | 15,000 | |
| Khalifa International Stadium | 45,857 | |
| Doha | Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium | 10,000 |
| Al Thumama Stadium | 44,400 | |
| Al Wakrah | Al Janoub Stadium | 44,325 |
