The 2023 AFC Asian Cup football competition begins on Friday in Qatar. This major international men’s football competition in Asia is in its 18th edition, and it will continue until February 10, 2024.
Qatar, the hosts and reigning AFC Asian Cup champions, will play Lebanon in the opening match of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup at the Lusail Stadium on January 12. The Group A match between Lebanon and Qatar begins at 9:30 PM IST. Every game will have live TV broadcasts and streaming services.
Meanwhile, Australia, Uzbekistan, and Syria have been drawn into Group B alongside the Indian men’s football team. India’s campaign will begin on January 13 against Australia at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan. On January 18, they will play Uzbekistan at the same location.
On January 23, Sunil Chhetri and company will play their last group match against Syria at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor.
India will play in the AFC Asian Cup 2023 for the fifth time, having participated in the continental competition in 1964, 1984, 2011, and 2019. With the exception of finishing second in 1964, India has never advanced past the group stage.
The other teams included four-time champions The two other Asian heavyweights, the Republic of Korea and Saudi Arabia, are in Group E and F, respectively, while Japan, the most successful team in the history of the continental football competition, is in Group D.
Football groups and formats for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup
Group A: Lebanon, Tajikistan, People’s Republic of China, and Qatar
Group B: Syria, India, Uzbekistan, and Australia
Group C: China, Palestine, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates make up
Group D: Vietnam, Indonesia, Iraq, and Japan
Group E: Bahrain, Malaysia, Jordan, and South Korea
Group F: Oman, Kyrgyzstan, Thailand, Saudi Arabia
The AFC Asian Cup will feature 24 teams in total this year, which is eight more than the previous edition in 2019. Six groups of equal size have been formed from the teams.
Teams in the group stage will play one round robin match against each other. After the conclusion of all group matches on January 25, the top two teams from each group and the four best third-placed teams overall will move into the round of 16.
The Lusail Stadium, which played host to Argentina and France’s FIFA World Cup 2022 final two years ago, will also serve as the venue for the AFC Asian Cup 2023 football final.
The Asian Cup 2023 will take place in nine different locations.
Location of India’s live AFC Asian Cup 2023 broadcast
Live streaming of the AFC Asian Cup 2023 will be available on JioCinema. The 2023 AFC Asian Cup will be broadcast live in India on the Sports18 and Sports18 HD TV channels.
The complete schedule of matches for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup
Schedule for AFC Asian Cup 2023
| Date | Match | Group | Time (IST) | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday, January 12 | Lebanon versus Qatar | A | 9:30 PM | Stadium Lusail |
| Saturday, January 13 | India versus Australia | B | 5:00 PM | Stadium Ahmed bin Ali |
| Saturday, January 13 | Tajikistan versus China | A | 8:00 PM | Stadium Abdullah bin Khalifa |
| Saturday, January 13 | Syria versus Uzbekistan | B | 11:00 PM | Stadium Jassim Bin Hamad |
| Sunday, January 14 | Vietnam versus Japan | D | 5:00 PM | Al Thumama Stadium |
| Sunday, January 14 | China vs. Hong Kong, UAE | C | 8:00 PM | Khalifa International Stadium |
| Sunday, January 14 | Palestine versus Iran | C | 11:00 PM | Stadium Education City |
| Monday, January 15 | Bahrain versus South Korea | E | 5:00 PM | Stadium Jassim bin Hamad |
| Monday, January 15 | Iraq versus Indonesia | D | 8:00 PM | Ahmad bin Ali Stadium |
| Monday, January 15 | Jordan versus Malaysia | E | 11:00 PM | Al Janoub Stadium |
| Tuesday, January 16 | Cambodia versus Kyrgyzstan | F | 8:00 PM | Stadium Abdullah bin Khalifa |
| Tuesday, January 16 | Arabia Saudi and Oman | F | 11:00 PM | Khalifa International Stadium |
| Wednesday, January 17 | China versus Lebanon | A | 5:00 PM | Al Thumama Stadium |
| Wednesday, January 17 | Qatar vs. Tajikistan | A | 8:00 PM | Al Bayt Stadium |
| Thursday, January 18 | Australia versus Syria | B | 5:00 PM | Stadium Jassim bin Hamad |
| Thursday, January 18 | India and Uzbekistan | B | 8:00 PM | Ahmad bin Ali Stadium |
| Thursday, January 18 | Palestine versus the UAE | C | 11:00 PM | Al Janoub Stadium |
| Friday, January 19 | Japan versus Iraq | D | 5:00 PM | Stadium Education City |
| Friday, January 19 | Indonesia versus Vietnam | D | 8:00 PM | Stadium Abdullah bin Khalifa |
| Friday, January 19 | Iran versus Hong Kong | C | 11:00 PM | Khalifa International Stadium |
| Saturday, January 20 | South Korea versus Jordan | E | 5:00 PM | Al Thumama Stadium |
| Saturday, January 20 | Malaysia versus Bahrain | E | 8:00 PM | Stadium Jassim bin Hamad |
| Sunday, January 21 | Thailand vs. Oman | F | 8:00 PM | Stadium Abdullah bin Khalifa |
| Sunday, January 21 | Saudi Arabia vs. Kyrgyzstan | F | 11:00 PM | Ahmad bin Ali Stadium |
| Monday, January 22 | China versus Qatar | A | 8:30 PM | Khalifa International Stadium |
| Monday, January 22 | Syria versus Lebanon | A | 8:30 PM | Stadium Jassim bin Hamad |
| Tuesday, January 23 | United States vs. Australia | B | 5:00 PM | Al Janoub Stadium |
| Tuesday, January 23 | India versus Syria | B | 5:00 PM | Al Bayt Stadium |
| Tuesday, January 23 | UAE versus Iran | C | 8:30 PM | Stadium Education City |
| Tuesday, January 23 | Palestine versus Hong Kong | C | 8:30 PM | Stadium Abdullah bin Khalifa |
| Wednesday, January 24 | Indonesia versus Japan | D | 5:00 PM | Al Thumama Stadium |
| Wednesday, January 24 | Vietnam versus Iraq | D | 5:00 PM | Stadium Jassim bin Hamad |
| Thursday, January 25 | Malaysia versus South Korea | E | 5:00 PM | Al Janoub Stadium |
| Thursday, January 25 | Jordan versus Bahrain | E | 5:00 PM | Khalifa International Stadium |
| Thursday, January 25 | Thailand versus Saudi Arabia | F | 8:30 PM | Stadium Education City |
| Thursday, January 25 | Oman versus Kyrgyzstan | F | 8:30 PM | Stadium Abdullah bin Khalifa |
| January 28–31 | Round of sixteen contests | NA | 5:00 PM and 9:30 PM | Different |
| February 2 and 3 | Quarterfinals | NA | 5:00 PM and 9:00 PM | Different |
| February 6 and 7 | semifinals | NA | 8:30 PM | Different |
| February 10 | Lastly | NA | 9:30 PM | Lusail Stadium |
