Qatar is hosting the AFC Asian Cup for the third time. The tournament got underway on Jan. 12 when the hosts defeated Lebanon in the opener. While historically the tournament has been held during the summer, due to the heat in the country, the tournament was moved to the winter of 2024, similarly to the scheduling when the nation held the 2022 World Cup. As a result, clubs will be without key players for the 18th edition of the tournament as Qatar also look to retain their title after winning in 2019. But with improvement from Japan and South Korea, that could be a tough task. Here’s what to know:
Dates and how to watch
- Dates: Jan. 12-Feb. 10
- Location: Qatar
- Live stream: Paramount+
Schedule
All times Eastern
Group stage
Friday, Jan. 12
Qatar 3, Lebanon 0
Saturday, Jan. 13
Australia 2, India 0
China vs. Tajikistan, 9:30 a.m.
Uzbekistan vs. Syria, 12:30 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 14
Japan vs. Vietnam, 6:30 a.m.
United Arab Emirates vs. Hong Kong, 9:30 a.m.
Iran vs. Palestine, 12:30 p.m.
Monday, Jan. 15
South Korea vs. Bahrain, 6:30 a.m.
Indonesia vs. Iraq, 9:30 a.m.
Malaysia vs. Jordan, 12:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 16
Thailand vs. Kyrgyzstan, 9:30 a.m.
Saudi Arabia vs. Oman, 12:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 17
Lebanon vs. China, 6:30 a.m.
Tajikistan vs. Qatar, 9:30 a.m.
Thursday, Jan. 19
Iraq vs. Japan, 6:30 a.m.
Vietnam vs. Indonesia, 9:30 a.m.
Hong Kong vs. Iran, 12:30 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 20
Jordan vs. South Korea, 6:30 a.m.
Bahrain vs. Malaysia, 9:30 a.m.
Saturday, Jan. 21
Oman vs. Thailand, 9:30 a.m.
Kyrgyzstan vs. Saudi Arabia, 12:30 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 22
Qatar vs. China, 10 a.m.
Tajikistan vs. Lebanon, 10 a.m.
Monday, Jan. 23
Australia vs. Uzbekistan, 6:30 a.m.
Syria vs. India, 6:30 a.m.
Iran vs. United Arab Emirates, 10 a.m.
Hong Kong vs. Palestine, 10 a.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 24
Japan vs. Indonesia, 6:30 a.m.
Iraq vs. Vietnam, 6:30 a.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 25
South Korea vs. Malaysia, 6:30 a.m.
Jordan vs. Bahrain, 6:30 a.m.
Saudi Arabia vs. Thailand, 10 a.m.
Kyrgyzstan vs. Oman, 10 a.m.
Round of 16
Jan. 28-30
Quarterfinals
Feb. 2-3
Semifinals
Feb. 6-7
Final
Feb. 10, 10 a.m.
Standings
| Group A | Team | MP | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Qatar |
1 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
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|
2 |
China |
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|
3 |
Tajikistan |
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|
4 |
Lebanon |
1 |
1 |
-3 |
| Group B | Team | MP | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Australia |
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|
2 |
Uzbekistan |
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|
3 |
Syria |
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|
4 |
India |
| Group C | Team | MP | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Iran |
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|
2 |
United Arab Emirates |
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|
3 |
Hong Kong |
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|
4 |
Palestine |
| Group D | Team | MP | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Japan |
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|
2 |
Indonesia |
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|
3 |
Iraq |
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|
4 |
Vietnam |
| Group E | Team | MP | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
South Korea |
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|
2 |
Malaysia |
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|
3 |
Jordan |
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|
4 |
Vietnam |
| Group F | Team | MP | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Saudi Arabia |
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|
2 |
Thailand |
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|
3 |
Kyrgyzstan |
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|
4 |
Oman |
