Taking place in the United Arab Emirates from 5th January to 1st February 2019, this is the second time the tournament has been held in the UAE – the first being in 1996 – the 2019 AFC Asian Cup will by the 17th edition of the competition, which is organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
The upcoming competition sees 24 teams completing in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, which is an expansion of the usual 16-team set-up. The new format sees a group stage consisting of six groups of four teams, followed by a knockout stage of 16 teams.
Asian Cup qualification
Qualification for the tournament saw 23 teams reach the final stages (UAE already qualified as the host nation), with a total of 45 national teams taking part in the qualifying stages. The three-year qualifying process took place between March 2015 and March 2018.
Australia are the defending champions heading into the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, having won the previous competition in 2015. The prize for the winners of the upcoming tournament will see them play in the 2021 FIFA Confederations Cup – the venue of which is yet to be determined after Qatar lost the rights to host the competition due to weather concerns.
The qualification process took part in three stages, starting with the lowest ranked teams playing each other over two legs in order to reduce the number of nations in the competition to 40. Stage two saw the teams split into eight groups of five playing home and away fixtures. The eight group winners and the four best group runners up advanced to the 2019 AFC Asian Cup finals. Completing the qualifying stages, round three saw the next best 24 teams eliminated from round two divided into six groups of four to compete for the remaining slots in the tournament.
2019 AFC Asian Cup teams
All 24 teams have now qualified for the tournament with a few nations making their debut at the competition and several teams are appearing for the first time since 2004. Lebanon and Vietnam have both qualified for the first time since hosting the tournament in 2000 and 2007 respectfully.
United Arab Emirates
The host nation will make their 10th AFC Asian Cup appearance at the 2019 event.
Saudi Arabia
The Saudi national team have appeared in the competition nine times prior to the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.
Australia
The Second Round Group B winners enter the competition without captain Mile Jedinak and Tim Cahill who both retired after the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Qatar
Qatar qualified as winners of Group C back in March 2016. This will be their tenth Asian Cup appearance.
Iran
Historically, Iran have a good record in qualifying for the finals of the tournament, the 2019 AFC Asian Cup will be the nation’s 14th. Iran qualified for the 2019 Asian Cup for the first time as a CAFA member, having qualified as part of the WAFF before.
Japan
They were knocked out of the Round of 16 at the 2018 World Cup but qualified for the Asian Cup finals by winning the Second Round Group E.
Thailand
They’re one of three nations having qualified after being after being absent in several Asian Cup tournaments spanning from 2004 to 2015
South Korea
Loses to Sweden and Mexico meant their heroic 2-0 win over Germany at the 2018 World Cup was in vein, as they didn’t make it out of Group F. They qualify for the 2019 Asian Cup as winners of Group G.
Uzbekistan
This will be the country’s seventh Asian Cup appearance, having qualified as winners of Group H in March 2016.
Iraq
They qualified for their ninth finals after going through as the Second Round 1st Best Runners Up in March 2016.
Syria
Syria join the other 23 nations thanks to their Second Round Second Best Runners Up qualification. It’s the nation’s first appearance at the finals since 2011.
China
China qualified having finished 4th best runners-up in the Second Round. This will be their 12th appearance at the finals.
India
The India national side made it through to the 2019 AFC Asian Cup finals in October 2017 having finished as Third Round Group A winners. This will be only their fourth ever appearance at the finals.
Kyrgyzstan
This will be the first time ever Kyrgyzstan have qualified for the tournament, having done so as Third Round Group A Runners-Up.
Lebanon
It’s only Lebanon’s second appearance at the Asian Cup, but the first time through qualification, having debuted in 2000 as the host nation.
North Korea
The North Koreans enter the fray having made it through thanks to their Third Round Group B Runners Up finish in March 2018.
Jordan
In what will be only their fourth appearance at the Asian Cup finals, Jordan made it through as winners of Group C.
Vietnam
The Runners Up of Group C take their place for the first time since 2007, when they qualified as tournament hosts. Incidentally, that was the first time Vietnam, has qualified for the AFC Asian Cup as a unified nation, having participated as South Vietnam in 1956 and 1960.
Palestine
The country’s only previous appearance at the Asian Cup was in 2015. They go into 2019 as Third Round Group D Runners Up.
Oman
Oman secured their spot in the tournament back in October 2017 as Third Round Group D winners. They previously made it to the finals in 2004, 2007 and 2015.
Bahrain
The winners of Group E take their place at the 2019 Asian Cup, having appeared five times previously, including the last four tournaments.
Turkmenistan
Their only previous qualification for the Asian Cup finals came in 2004. They head into 2019’s tournament as Third Round Group E Runners Up.
Philippines
Group F winners the Philippines will make their Asian Cup debut at the upcoming tournament.
Yemen
Yemen joins the Philippines and Kyrgyzstan as 2019 AFC Asian Cup debutants after qualifying as Third Round Group F Runners Up.
2019 AFC Asian Cup draw
The teams were drawn to decide the group stages of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup back in May 2018, at Dubai’s Burj Khalifa. Using FIFA rankings as seedings the 12 nations that qualified by the second round were in pots one and two. Teams that advanced during round three were allocated to the remaining pots. Hosts UAE were drawn from pot one. Former Manchester City and Crystal Palace star Sun Jihai was one of four Asian players taking part in the draw.
Format
At the finals, the 24 teams will be drawn into six groups of four teams each, where the teams in each group will play each other once. The top two teams and the four best third teams will advance to the knockout stage, beginning with the round of 16. For the first time since a knockout stage was added to the competition in 1972, there will be no third place play-off. The format is exactly the same as the once which was applied to UEFA Euro 2016, and is similar to the format of the 1986, 1990 and 1994 FIFA World Cups with the exception being the World Cup included a third place play-off.
Venues
After the expansion of the tournament from 16 teams to 24 it was decided that games will be played at eight stadiums across the UAE, although initially it was agreed that fixtures would be played in just six stadiums. Several of the venues have since been rebuilt (or in the process of being rebuilt). The expanded competition will take place across eight world-class stadiums in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Dubai and Sharjah, and should encourage more fans than ever before to be a part of the biggest sporting event ever hosted in the region.
The eight venues to host matches are Zayed Sports City Stadium, Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium and Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi, Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium and Khalifa Bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain, Al-Maktoum Stadium and Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum Stadium in Dubai, and Sharjah Stadium in Sharjah.
Zayed Sports City Stadium, one of the three stadiums in Abu Dhabi, will stage both the opening match and the final. The match schedule itself will maximise the use of venues with at least five matches played at each stadium and every ground hosting at least one match in the knockout stage. The semi-finals will be played on different days in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. No city will host two matches on the same day – except in the final round of group stage matches when simultaneous kick-off is required.
Stadiums
Abu Dhabi
Zayed Sports City Stadium – 43,000 seater
National stadium: UAE play home games at Zayed Sports City stadium
Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium – 42,056 seater
First class: Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium
Al Nahyan Stadium – 12,000 seater
Al Wahda’s Al Nahyan Stadium will host the event [Photo: Al Wahda]
Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum Stadium – 12,000 seater
Al-Maktoum Stadium 15,000
Under development: Plans for the updated Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum Stadium
Al Ain
Hazza bin Zayed Stadium – 25,965 seater
World-class: Al Ain’s Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium
Sheikh Khalifa International Stadium – 16,000 seater
Sharjah
Sharjah Stadium – 11,073
Group stages
The top two teams of each group and the four best third-placed teams advance to the Round of 16 of the 2019 Asian Cup
Group A
United Arab Emirates
Thailand
India
Bahrain
Group A Fixtures
5th January 20:00
United Arab Emirates v Bahrain
Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi
6 January 201917:30
Thailand v India
Al Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi
10 January 201915:00
Bahrain v Thailand
Al-Maktoum Stadium, Dubai
10 January 201920:00
India v United Arab Emirates
Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi
14 January 2019 20:00
United Arab Emirates v Thailand
Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, Al-Ain
14 January 2019 20:00
India v Bahrain
Sharjah Stadium, Sharjah
Group B
Australia
Syria
Palestine
Jordan
Group B fixtures
6 January 2019 15:00
Australia v Jordan
Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, Al-Ain
6 January 2019 20:00
Syria v Palestine
Sharjah Stadium, Sharjah
10 January 2019 17:30
Jordan v Syria
Sheikh Khalifa Stadium, Al-Ain
11 January 2019 15:00
Palestine v Australia
Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum Stadium, Dubai
15 January 2019 17:30
Australia v Syria
Sheikh Khalifa Stadium, Al-Ain
15 January 2019 17:30
Palestine v Jordan
Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Group C
South Korea
China
Kyrgyzstan
Philippines
Group C fixtures
7 January 2019 15:00
China v Kyrgyzstan
Sheikh Khalifa Stadium, Al-Ain
7 January 2019 17:30
South Korea v Philippines
Al-Maktoum Stadium, Dubai
11 January 2019 17:30
Philippines v China
Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
11 January 2019 20:00
Kyrgystan v South Korea
Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, Al-Ain
16 January 2019 17:30
South Korea v China
Al Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi
16 January 2019 17:30
Kyrgyzstan v Philippines
Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum Stadium
Group D
Iran
Iraq
Vietnam
Yemen
Group D Fixtures
7 January 2019 20:00
Iran v Yemen
Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium
8 January 2019 17:30
Iraq v Vietnam
Zayed Sports City Stadium
12 January 2019 15:00
Vietnam v Iran
Al Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi
12 January 2019 17:30
Yemen v Iraq
Sharjah Stadium, Sharjah
16 January 2019 20:00
Vietnam v Yemen
Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, Al-Ain
16 January 2019 20:00
Iran v Iraq
Al-Maktoum Stadium, Dubai
Group E
Saudi Arabia
Qatar
Lebanon
North Korea
Group E fixtures
8 January 2019 20:00
Saudi Arabia v North Korea
Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum Stadium
9 January 2019 20:00
Qatar v Lebanon
Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain
12 January 2019 20:00
Lebanon v Saudi Arabia
Al-Maktoum Stadium, Dubai
13 January 2019 15:00
North Korea v Qatar
Sheikh Khalifa International Stadium, Al-Ain
17 January 2019 20:00
Saudi Arabia v Qatar
Zayed Sports City Stadium
17 January 2019 20:00
Lebanon v North Korea
Sharjah Stadium, Sharjah
Group F
Japan
Uzbekistan
Oman
Turkmenistan
Group F fixtures
9 January 2019 15:00
Japan v Turkmenistan
Al Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi
9 January 2019 17:30
Uzbekistan v Oman
Sharjah Stadium, Sharjah
13 January 2019 17:30
Oman v Japan
Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi
13 January 2019 20:00
Turkmenistan v Uzbekistan
Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum Stadium, Dubai
17 January 2019 17:30
Oman v Turkmenistan
Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
17 January 2019 17:30
Japan v Uzbekistan
Sheikh Khalifa International Stadium, Al-Ain
Tickets
Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Shaikh Salman Ebrahim Al Khalifa said: “The AFC ‘s vision and mission outlined our ambitions to provide world-class platforms for our teams, players and passionate fans.
“The launch of ticket sales is an important milestone and the UAE is the perfect host nation to unite the Asian football family. I am confident that the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 will provide the ultimate stage to showcase Asia’s remarkable talent and engage and excite more fans than ever before.
Ticket prices for the competition have been set to allow as many people as possible—from the millions of Asians already residing in the UAE to the two billion living within a four-hour flight—to come and experience the thrill of top-class, live international football.
Ticket Categories:
CAT3 CAT2 CAT1
GROUP STAGE Dh25 Dh50 Dh75
ROUND 16 Dh25 Dh50 Dh75
QUARTER-FINALS Dh50 Dh75 Dh150
SEMI-FINALS Dh50 Dh75 Dh150
FINAL Dh75 Dh150 Dh300
Tickets are available from www.the-afc.com