With 24 countries competing for the prestigious continental title, the AFC Asian Cup 2023 is set to kick off in Qatar this Friday. The opening contest will feature hosts Qatar facing Lebanon at the Lusail Stadium. Originally planned for China, the 18th edition of the tournament had to be rescheduled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The Indian football team, led by coach Igor Stimac, finds itself in Group B alongside Uzbekistan, Australia, and Syria. India will commence their AFC Asian Cup 2023 journey with a match against Australia on Saturday, January 13.
As the tournament unfolds, here is a detailed look at the full schedule of this highly anticipated sporting event.
AFC Asian Cup Full Schedule
The Venues: Al Bayt Stadium, Lusail Stadium, Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, Education City Stadium, Jassim bin Hamad Stadium, Khalifa International Stadium, Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium, Al Thumama Stadium, Al Janoub Stadium
AFC Asian Cup 2023 Groups
- Group A: Qatar, China, Tajikistan, Lebanon
- Group B: Australia, Uzbekistan, Syria, India
- Group C: Iran, UAE, Hong Kong, Palestine
- Group D: Japan, Indonesia, Iraq, Vietnam
- Group E: South Korea, Jordan, Malaysia, Bahrain
- Group F: Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Kyrgyzstan, Oman
Group Stage Fixtures:
- January 12: Qatar vs Lebanon, 9:30 pm IST
- January 13: Australia vs India, 5:00 pm IST
- January 13: China vs Tajikistan, 8:00 pm IST
- January 13: Uzbekistan vs Syria, 11:00 pm IST
- January 14: Japan vs Vietnam, 5:00 pm IST
- January 14: UAE vs Hong Kong, 8:00 pm IST
- January 14: Iran vs Palestine, 11:00 pm IST
- January 15: South Korea vs Bahrain, 5:00 pm IST
- January 15: Indonesia vs Iraq, 8:00 pm IST
- January 15: Malaysia vs Jordan, 11:00 pm IST
- January 16: Thailand vs Kyrgyzstan, 8:00 pm IST
- January 16: Saudi Arabia vs Oman, 11:00 pm IST
- January 17: Lebanon vs China, 5:00 pm IST
- January 17: Tajikistan vs Qatar, 8:00 pm IST
- January 18: Syria vs Australia, 5:00 pm IST
- January 18: India vs Uzbekistan, 8:00 pm IST
- January 18: Palestine vs UAE, 11:00 pm IST
- January 19: Iraq vs Japan, 5:00 pm IST
- January 19: Vietnam vs Indonesia, 8:00 pm IST
- January 19: Hong Kong vs Iran, 11:00 pm IST
- January 20: Jordan vs South Korea, 5:00 pm IST,
- January 20: Bahrain vs Malaysia, 8:00 pm IST
- January 21: Oman vs Thailand, 8:00 pm IST
- January 21: Kyrgyzstan vs Saudi Arabia, 11:00 pm IST
- January 22: Qatar vs China, 8:30 pm IST
- January 22: Tajikistan vs Lebanon, 8:30 pm IST
- January 23: Australia vs Uzbekistan, 5:00 pm IST
- January 23: Syria vs India, 5:00 pm IST
- January 23: Hong Kong vs Palestine, 8:30 pm IST
- January 23: Iran vs UAE, 8:30 pm IST
- January 24: Iraq vs Vietnam, 5:00 pm IST
- January 24: Japan vs Indonesia, 5:00 pm IST
- January 25: Jordan vs Bahrain, 5:00 pm IST
- January 25: South Korea vs Malaysia, 5:00 pm IST
- January 25: Kyrgyzstan vs Oman, 8:30 pm IST
- January 25: Saudi Arabia vs Thailand, 8:30 pm IST
Round of 16 Fixtures:
- January 28: 1B vs 3A/C/D, 5:00 pm IST
- January 28: 2A vs 2C, 9:30 pm IST
- January 29: 1D vs 3B/E/F, 5:00 pm IST
- January 29: 1A vs 3C/D/E, 9:30 pm IST
- January 30: 2B vs 2F, 5:00 pm IST
- January 30: 1F vs 2E, 9:30 pm IST
- January 31: 1E vs 2D, 5:00 pm IST
- January 31: 1C vs 3A/B/F, 9:30 pm IST
Quarter-finals Fixtures:
- February 2: W-RO16 2 vs W-RO16 3, 5:00 pm IST
- February 2: W-RO16 1 vs W-RO16 5, 9:00 pm IST
- February 3: W-RO16 8 vs W-RO16 7, 5:00 pm IST
- February 3: W-RO16 4 vs W-RO16 6, 9:00 pm IST
Semi-finals Fixtures:
- February 6: W-QF1 vs W-QF2 8:30 pm IST
- February 7: W-QF3 vs W-QF4, 8:30 pm IST
Final:
- February 10: W-SF1 vs W-SF2, 8:30 pm IST
- India's Schedule for AFC Asian Cup 2023
- India's campaign begins with a high-stakes match against Australia at Ahmed bin Ali Stadium in Qatar on Saturday, January 13. The tournament itself kicks off with a clash between defending champions Qatar and Lebanon at Lusail Stadium on Friday, January 12. Subsequent matches for India include encounters with Uzbekistan on January 18 and Syria on January 23. The knockout stage is set to commence from January 28, leading up to the summit clash at Lusail Stadium on February 10.
- AFC Asian Cup 2023 Live Streaming in India
- For fans eager to catch the live action, the Sports18 Network will broadcast India's matches in the country. JioCinema will provide live streaming of the tournament on its mobile app and website.
India's Squad for AFC Asian Cup 2023
The Indian squad comprises a formidable lineup:
- Goalkeepers: Amrinder Singh, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Vishal Kaith
- Defenders: Akash Mishra, Lalchungnunga, Mehtab Singh, Nikhil Poojary, Pritam Kotal, Rahul Bheke, Sandesh Jhingan, Subhasish Bose
- Midfielders: Anirudh Thapa, Brandon Fernandes, Deepak Tangri, Lalengmawia Ralte, Liston Colaco, Naorem Mahesh Singh, Sahal Abdul Samad, Suresh Singh Wangjam, Udanta Singh
- Forwards: Ishan Pandita, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Manvir Singh, Rahul Kannoly Praveen, Sunil Chhetri, Vikram Partap Singh