Fifty-one matches are set to be played across stadiums in Qatar from January 12 to February 10, 2024.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has launched the Match Predictor game on its  website, where fans can enter their predictions for all 51 AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 matches and change their forecasts up until the kick-off of each game. 

The revealing of the Match Predictor game comes less than a month before the opening ceremony of the Qatar AFC tournament that is set to start on January 12.

As per the AFC guidelines for the competition, fans will earn points based on how accurate their predictions are in terms of the result of the match and the first team to score during the knockout stage.

Leaderboard rankings will also reflect the top scores of the participants and will be updated regularly throughout the tournament. 

Up to three game winners will be gifted prizes per matchday, and noteworthy prizes will be awarded to the top three performers across the entire competition.

Prizes will include trips to watch teams at the AFC Asian Qualifiers FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualification Round 3 and signed AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 match balls.

Earlier this month, the third batch of AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 tickets went on sale as Qatar gears up to host the region’s biggest football tournament as defending champions.

Tickets start as low as QAR 25 and can be bought on the AFC website.  

Meanwhile, the Hayya Card, initially introduced as a fan visa, will be returning in the upcoming AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023, where it will be an all-encompassing visa entry platform.

This announcement came earlier this month from Saeed Ali Al-Kuwari, CEO of the Hayya Platform, in an interview with Al Rayyan TV, where he outlined the multifaceted role of the Hayya Card. 

“Anyone who wants to visit Qatar must apply on the platform and choose the appropriate visa. These include entries for the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023, the World Aquatics Championships – Doha 2024, and other events,” he stated. 

After Qatar hosted the FIFA World Cup in 2022, Qatar Tourism undertook a strategic overhaul of the Hayya platform, transforming it into a singular portal for all tourists requiring visas to enter Qatar. 

The revamped system introduces three new visitor categories for Qatar’s e-visa, which are the A1, A2, and A3. 

The A1 category caters to nationalities not eligible for visa-on-arrival or visa-free entry. 

GCC residents of all professions fall under the A2 category. 

The A3 category, made for international visitors with visas or residency in the Schengen Area, the UK, the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, offers an e-visa facility, exempting travelers from mandatory health insurance for stays not exceeding 30 days.

The AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023, set to be held from January 12 to February 10, 2024, marks the 18th edition of the international men’s football championship in Asia, organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). 

Qatar, the defending champions, will host the tournament following a shift in venue from China due to COVID-19-related challenges. 

The tournament will feature 24 teams – a significant expansion from previous editions. The games are planned across nine stadiums in five host cities in Qatar, with most venues having hosted games during the 2022 FIFA World Cup.