Asian Cup - Landing Page

The 53-year-old, who arrives in Beirut next week, replaces CzechIvan Hasek who took charge of The Cedars in 2021 and helped Lebanon reach the Final Round of the AFC Asian Qualifiers - Road to Qatar™ and qualify for the AFC Asian Cup™ 2023.

The new qualification format has been established after several consultation and dialogue sessions with the AFC Member Associations (MAs), briefings with the AFC Competitions Committee, as well as the Confederation’s key stakeholders.

When Mahmoud soared high in the Jakarta night air to score the goal that downed Saudi Arabia to deliver Iraq their first-ever AFC Asian Cup title, it secured much more than the famous old trophy.

The 25-year-old, who spent the early years of his career in the United States, joined the-AFC.com for an exclusive interview to discuss these milestone moments and look ahead to August’s last 16 clash with BG Pathum United.

Following the AFC's invitation to all MAs to express their interest in hosting the flagship men's national team tournament on May 31, 2022, the following AFC MAs have responded by the extended deadline of July 15, 2022, and expressed their interest to bid for the hosting rights of the AFC Asian Cup 2023™:

The AFC had issued an EOI invitation to the AFC MAs to host the AFC Asian Cup 2023™ on May 31, 2022. This followed China PR’s decision to withdraw as hosts of the AFC Asian Cup 2023™ and the consequent mandate provided to the AFC Administration by the 32nd AFC Congress 2022 to define the terms and requirements of an expedited bidding process to find a replacement host for the competition.

Eleven teams booked their tickets from the six qualifying groups that were played in Bishkek, Kolkata, Kuala Lumpur, Kuwait City, Namangan and Ulaanbaatar.

They join the 13 teams who had already sealed their places following the conclusion of the second round of the AFC Asian Qualifiers - Road to Qatar™ in June, 2021.

Join the-AFC.com as we take a look at the cast of the AFC Asian Cup 2023.

Team Garuda stunned Kuwait 2-1 in the opening match, a result that eventually proved the difference as they finished three points ahead of the hosts to seal one of the five best runners-up spots and qualify alongside group winners Jordan.

Qualification was confirmed on the final matchday with a 7-0 triumph over Nepal to help Indonesia pip Group B runners-up the Philippines to the final spot in the Continental showpiece.

Jaloliddin Masharipov and Azizbek Turgunbaye were on target for Uzbekistan, who topped the group with nine points, while Thailand - with two victories - also advanced to the Continental Finals as one of the five best runners-up.

After results elsewhere in Asia had made their position safe, the Tajiks played out a goalless draw against a Kyrgyz Republic side roared on by 17,340 fans at Dolen Omurazkov, sending both teams through to next year’s Finals.

For Tajikistan, that represents the end of a wait stretching back to 1996, where they missed out on that year’s AFC Asian Cup after throwing away a four-goal aggregate lead in a two-match playoff against Uzbekistan.

Palestine went into their Matchday Three encounter against the Southeast Asians needing just a point to secure their ticket to a third successive AFC Asian Cup™ and goals from Saleh Chihadeh and Seyam had them two up at the interval before Mohammed Yamin and Mahmoud Abuwarda added further goals after the restart.