The host nation will face China, Tajikistan, and Lebanon in AFC Asian Cup 2023.

Qatar will be facing Lebanon in the first opening match of the AFC Asian Cup of 2023, set to take place on January 12, 2024, the official draw revealed.

The great reveal was announced during the Final Draw held at Katara Opera House in Doha, Qatar on Thursday.

The tournament will bring together 24 teams from across Asia to compete for the prestigious title. In total, 10 Arab teams are participating in the football event, including Qatar, Iraq, Lebanon, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Syria, UAE, Jordan, Palestine, and Bahrain. 

After the group stage, the top two teams from each group along with the four best third-placed teams will progress to the knockout stage of the AFC Asian Cup 2023.

From there, the teams will compete in the knockout rounds until one team is crowned the Asian champion on February 10, 2024.

As excitement builds for the upcoming tournament, football fans around the world are eagerly awaiting the opportunity to witness some of the finest talents from the continent compete on the grand stage.

Here’s a breakdown of who will face who next year.

Final draw: how it works

Qatar’s AFC Asian Cup 2023, set to take place from January 12 to February 10, 2024, will feature 24 qualifying teams.

These teams are divided into six groups, with four teams in each group, designated as Groups A to F. Qatar, as the host and defending champion, was placed in Pot 1 and was the first team to be drawn into Group A.

The remaining teams were randomly allocated to the other groups (A-F) as follows:

• Pot 1: Qatar (Host), Iran, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Korea Republic, Australia,
• Pot 2: Iraq, UAE, Oman, Uzbekistan, China, Jordan
• Pot 3: Bahrain, Syria, Palestine, Vietnam, Kyrgyz Republic, Lebanon
• ⦿Pot 4: India, Tajikistan, Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Indonesia

Groups: who will your team play?

In the first group, Group (A) Qatar, the host country and defending champions, will face China PR, Tajikistan, and Lebanon in their title defense campaign. Meanwhile, Group B will feature former champions Australia, along with Uzbekistan, Syria, and India.

In Group (C), the three-time champions the Islamic Republic of Iran will compete with 1996 runners-up United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, China, and Palestine for the knockout stage spots. Group D includes record four-time winners Japan, Indonesia, 2007 champions Iraq, and Vietnam.

Korea Republic, twice champions, are the top-seeded team in Group (E), with Malaysia, Jordan, and Bahrain as their opponents, while Group (F) will see three-time winners Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Kyrgyz Republic, and Oman competing for the knockout stage spots.

Group A: Qatar, China, Tajikistan, Lebanon
Group B: Australia, Uzbekistan, Syria, India
Group C: Iran, United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong China, Palestine
Group D: Japan, Indonesia, Iraq, Vietnam
Group E: Korea Republic, Malaysia, Jordan, Bahrain
Group F: Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Kyrgyz Republic, Oman

The top two teams from each group, along with the four best third-placed teams, will move on to the Round of 16 in the tournament.