Live streaming, AFC Asian Cup 2023 football - full schedule, where to watch, groups and format
The top 24 football teams from Asia, including India, will be vying for continental glory in Qatar from January 12 to February 10. Watch live in India!
Football
The AFC Asian Cup 2023 football tournament kicks off in Qatar from Friday. The 18th edition of Asia’s biggest international men’s football competition will run till February 10, 2024.
Qatar, the hosts and reigning AFC Asian Cup champions, will play Lebanon in the opening match of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup at the Lusail Stadium on January 12. The Qatar vs Lebanon Group A match starts from 9:30 PM IST. All matches will be live streamed and broadcasted live on TV as well.
The Indian men’s football team, meanwhile, has been drawn in Group B with Australia, Uzbekistan and Syria. India will open their campaign against Australia on January 13 at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan before facing Uzbekistan on January 18 at the same venue.
Sunil Chhetri and Co. will move to the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor to take on Syria on January 23 for their final group game.
The AFC Asian Cup 2023 will mark India’s fifth appearance at the continental tournament after 1964, 1984, 2011 and 2019. Barring a runner-up finish in 1964, India have failed to progress beyond the group stage.
Among the other groups, four-time champions Japan, the most successful team in the continental football tournament’s history, is in Group D while the Republic of Korea and Saudi Arabia, the other two Asian giants, are in Group E and F, respectively.
AFC Asian Cup 2023 football groups and format
Group A: Qatar, People’s Republic of China, Tajikistan, Lebanon
Group B: Australia, Uzbekistan, Syria, India
Group C: Iran, UAE, Palestine, Hong Kong China
Group D: Japan, Indonesia, Iraq, Vietnam
Group E: South Korea, Malaysia, Jordan, Bahrain
Group F: Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Kyrgyzstan, Oman
This year, a total of 24 teams - eight more than the last edition in 2019 - will compete in the AFC Asian Cup. The teams have been divided equally into six groups.
In the group stage, teams from each group will play each other once in a round robin format. After the conclusion of all group matches on January 25, the top two teams from each group and the four best third-placed teams overall will move into the round of 16.
The final of the AFC Asian Cup 2023 football tournament will also be held at the Lusail Stadium, which hosted the FIFA World Cup 2022 final between Argentina and France two years ago.
A total of nine venues will host the matches of the 2023 Asian Cup.
Where to watch AFC Asian Cup 2023 live in India
Live streaming of the AFC Asian Cup 2023 will be available on JioCinema. The live telecast of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup will be on the Sports18 and Sports18 HD TV channels in India.