Qatar will host the AFC 2023 Asian Cup for the third time after staging it in 1988 and 2011.
The iconic Lusail Stadium will host the opening and final matches of the The AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023, local organisers confirmed on Monday.
Qatar’s national team will open the Asian tournament against Lebanon on the 12 January at the Lusail Stadium, both of which battling to prevail against the continent’s top 24 nations.
Al Annabi will participate in their 40th match in the tournament, while Lebanon will experience their first-ever opening match in the AFC Asian Cup. The tournament will come to an end 10 February 2024 also at the Lusail Stadium.
The country’s ‘jewel in the desert’ stadium will be one of the largest match venues in AFC Asian Cup history behind Iran’s Aryamehr Stadium and Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta.
The two illustrious venues held the most extensive football seating ever recorded in the AFC competition.
The Aryamehr Stadium, seated 100,000 spectators during the 1976 final between Iran and Kuwait, with the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium holding 88,083 attendees in its host of seven matches in 2007.
The largest stadium in Qatar and the Middle East by capacity, Lusail booked its place in football and architectural history when hosting the 2022 World Cup.
The stadium hosted 10 thrilling World Cup matches and was nominated for the Stadium of the Year 2022 Award.
Six other World Cup stadiums will also welcome fans during the AFC tournament in January, marking a first-time milestone for the Asian Cup.
Al Janoub Stadium, Al Bayt Stadium, Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium, Al Thumama Stadium, Education City Stadium, Khalifa International Stadium, Jassim bin Hamad Stadium, and Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium are all set to kick off the highly-anticipated contest.
