AFC Asian Cup begins today

KATHMANDU: One year after successfully hosting the FIFA World Cup 2022, Qatar is all set to host the AFC Asian Cup 2023. The 24-team tournament will kick off at the Lusail Stadium, which hosted the FIFA World Cup 2022 final, on Friday. Qatar will take on Lebanon in the first match of the AFC Asian Cup.

China was originally chosen as the host of the AFC Asian Cup 2023. However, Qatar stepped up to host the biggest football event in the Asia continent after China expressed its inability to organize the event citing COVID.

The participating 24 teams are pooled into six groups of four teams each. The top two finishers after the group stage will qualify for the Round of 16 as well as the four best-ranked third-placed teams. After the Round of 16, eight teams will qualify for the quarter-finals, four for the semifinals and two for the final.

Participating Teams:

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

Venues:

The matches will be played in nine stadiums. The opening and the final match will be played at the iconic Lusail Stadium. Six stadiums, including Lusail, which hosted FIFA World Cup matches, will host the AFA Asian Cup matches. They include Lusail, Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, Al Bayt Stadium, Al Janoub Stadium, Education City Stadium and Khalifa International Stadium. The other three venues are Al Thumama Stadium, Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium, and Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium.

Past Winners:

Qatar is the defending champion of the AFC Asian Cup. The Arab nation defeated Japan by 3-1 in Abu Dhabi. Japan is the most successful side in the Asia Cup, winning the event four times – in 1992, 2000, 2004, and 2001. Similarly, Saudi Arabia and Iran have won three times each, while South Korea has won twice. Kuwait, Australia, Israel, and Iraq have lifted the trophy once.

Japan: 1992, 2000, 2004, 2011
Saudi Arabia: 1984, 1988, 1986
Iran: 1968, 1972, 1976
South Korea: 1956, 1960
Kuwait: 1980
Australia: 2015
Israel: 1964
Iraq: 2007
Qatar: 2019

Prize Money:

The total prize money for the Asian Cup 2023 is $14,800,000. While the winning team will receive a check for $5 million, the runner-up will receive $3 million.

Similarly, the losing semifinalists will receive $1 million each, while each participating nation will take home $200,000.