The 2023 Asian Cup officially kicks off today. (Photo: Getty).
The teams are divided into 6 groups, with 4 teams in each group. In each group, the teams play a round-robin format to determine the top 2 teams from each group, along with the 4 best third-placed teams, to advance to the round of 16.
From the round of 16 onwards, if two teams are tied after 90 minutes, extra time will be played. If the score is still tied after two extra periods, a penalty shootout will take place. There will be no third-place playoff at the 2023 Asian Cup. The two teams that lose in the semi-finals will share third place. This format is exactly the same as the 2019 Asian Cup held in the UAE.
According to the AFC draw results, the groups for the 2023 Asian Cup are as follows: Group A includes host nation Qatar, China, Tajikistan, and Lebanon. Group B consists of Australia, Uzbekistan, Syria, and India. Group C includes Iran, UAE, Hong Kong (China), and Palestine. Group D includes Vietnam, Indonesia, Iraq, and Japan.
In Group E, South Korea, Malaysia, Jordan, and Bahrain will face off. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Kyrgyzstan, and Oman will compete for a place in the next round in Group F.
On the opening day, host nation Qatar will face Lebanon in a match scheduled for 11 PM.
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