2019 Asian Cup to begin on January 5 in Abu Dhabi

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2019 Asian Cup to begin on January 5 in Abu Dhabi

Mohammad Khalfan Al Rumaithi (left), deputy chairman of the local higher organising committee of the tournament and head of the championship?s executive committee, and Chung Mong-gyu (centre), vice-president of the Asian Football Confederation, speaks during the 2019 AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers Final Round draw in Abu Dhabi on Monday. AFP

Dubai - Eight stadiums will host matches; 24 teams will take part

By AFP

Published: Mon 23 Jan 2017, 6:59 PM

Last updated: Tue 24 Jan 2017, 3:12 PM

The 2019 Asian Cup will begin on January 5 and will be played over 28 days across eight stadiums in the UAE, the continent's soccer governing body said on Monday.
The Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi will play host to the opening game and the final on February 1.
Three stadiums in Abu Dhabi and two each in Dubai and Al Ain and one in Sharjah will host the tournament, which will feature 24 teams for the first time after expanding from 16 in the last edition in Australia in 2015.

Here it is! The complete #AsianCup2019 Qualifiers Final Round draw! Which teams will qualify for the finals in UAE? pic.twitter.com/Z6WBzfUVT3
- AFC Asian Cup (@afcasiancup) January 23, 2017

Defending champions Australia, China, Iraq, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Thailand, Uzbekistan and hosts UAE have sealed their spots for the tournament.
The continent's elite 12 will be joined by 12 others from the final round of qualifiers in which 24 teams will be divided into six groups of four.

What are your thoughts on the #AsianCup2019 Qualifiers Final Round draw? pic.twitter.com/47OXxxopGq
- AFC Asian Cup (@afcasiancup) January 23, 2017

The winners and runners-up from each group will qualify for the finals.
India was pitted against Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar and Macau when the draw for the final round of qualifying took place on Monday.
India, which like other Asian nations has invested heavily in football in recent years, is hoping to reach its first Asian Cup finals since 2011.
The final qualifying round sees six groups of four battling it out for the remaining 12 spots available.
Speaking at the draw, AFC vice-president Chung Mong Gyu, said the tournament was the "pinnacle of football in Asia".
"The AFC Asian Cup 2019 in UAE will be historic," he said.
"More countries will be involved and more fans will follow the matches across Asia and beyond."
Qualifiers begin later this year on March 28.
The official logo for the tournament was also unveiled prior to Monday's draw.
Group A: Kyrgyzstan, India, Myanmar, Macau.
Group B: North Korea, Hong Kong, Lebanon, Malaysia.
Group C: Jordan, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Cambodia
Group D: Oman, Palestine, Maldives, Bhutan.
Group E: Bahrain, Turkmenistan, Taiwan, Singapore
Group F: Philippines, Tajikistan, Yemen, Nepal.