Asian Cup 2023: Fixtures, results, schedule, bracket for Qatar 2024 AFC tournament

The 2023 AFC Asian Cup kicks off in Qatar on January 12 with the hosts aiming to retain the title they won in the United Arab Emirates in 2019.

The tournament will feature the majority of the same stadiums as used in Qatar’s hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, but they will be looking to perform better on the continental stage after bowing out at the group stages of that FIFA tournament.

Traditional AFC Asian Cup superpower Japan are expected to be a major force in 2024, alongside former winners South Korea and Australia. With stars such as Son Heung-min and Wataru Endo on show, there is sure to be plenty of interest.

The Sporting News has the full details on the 2023 AFC Asian Cup including the format of the tournament, the fixture schedule, group standings, and all the important dates until the final in February.

MORE: Predicting Australia’s chances of winning the 2023 Asian Cup

2023 AFC Asian Cup format

The 2023 AFC Asian Cup features 24 teams for the second successive tournament after opting for an expansion from 16 ahead of the 2019 edition.

The teams are split into six groups of four (A-F) with the top two teams from each mini league automatically qualifying for the Round of 16 knockout stage.

As that process only confirms 12 spots, the remaining four knockout places will be given to the best third-placed teams, as decided by the below tiebreaker criteria.

Total points over three group games

Group-stage goal difference
Group-stage goals scored
Lowest disciplinary points total
Drawing of lots

From the Round of 16 onwards, all matches are single-elimination knockout, with 30 minutes of extra time and penalties a possibility if scores are tied after 90 minutes of regulation.

The quarterfinals will be followed by two semifinals and a final, but there will be no third-place playoff.

2023 AFC Asian Cup fixtures, schedule, results, standings

The group stages were confirmed in May 2023 with hosts Qatar already pre-selected in Group A. The path through the knockout stages to the final is already confirmed and detailed below.

Results and table will be updated after each matchday from January 12.

Group A

Team	GP	Win	Draw	Loss	GS	GA	Points
Qatar	0	0	0	0	0	0
China	0	0	0	0	0	0
Tajikistan	0	0	0	0	0	0
Lebanon	0	0	0	0	0	0

Date	Match
Jan. 12	Qatar vs. Lebanon
Jan. 13	China vs. Tajikistan
Jan. 17	Lebanon vs. China
Jan. 17	Tajikistan vs. Qatar
Jan. 22	Qatar vs. China
Jan. 22	Tajikistan vs. Lebanon

Group B

Team	GP	Win	Draw	Loss	GS	GA	Points
Australia	0	0	0	0	0	0
Uzbekistan	0	0	0	0	0	0
India	0	0	0	0	0	0
Syria	0	0	0	0	0	0

Date	Match
Jan. 13	Australia vs. India
Jan. 13	Uzbekistan vs. Syria
Jan. 18	Syria vs. Australia
Jan. 18	India vs. Uzbekistan
Jan. 23	Australia vs. Uzbekistan
Jan. 23	Syria vs. India

Group C

Team	GP	Win	Draw	Loss	GS	GA	Points
Iran	0	0	0	0	0	0
UAE	0	0	0	0	0	0
Hong Kong	0	0	0	0	0	0
Palestine	0	0	0	0	0	0

Date	Match
Jan. 14	UAE vs. Hong Kong
Jan. 14	Iran vs. Palestine
Jan. 18	Palestine vs. UAE
Jan. 19	Hong Kong vs. Iran
Jan. 23	Iran vs. UAE
Jan. 23	Hong Kong vs. Palestine

Group D

Team	GP	Win	Draw	Loss	GS	GA	Points
Japan	0	0	0	0	0	0
Indonesia	0	0	0	0	0	0
Iraq	0	0	0	0	0	0
Vietnam	0	0	0	0	0	0

Date	Match
Jan.14	Japan vs. Vietnam
Jan. 15	Indonesia vs. Iraq
Jan. 19	Iraq vs. Japan
Jan. 19	Vietnam vs. Indonesia
Jan. 24	Japan vs. Indonesia
Jan 24	Iraq vs. Vietnam

Group E

Team	GP	Win	Draw	Loss	GS	GA	Points
South Korea	0	0	0	0	0	0
Malaysia	0	0	0	0	0	0
Jordan	0	0	0	0	0	0
Bahrain	0	0	0	0	0	0

Date	Match
Jan 15	South Korea vs. Bahrain
Jan 15	Malaysia vs. Jordan
Jan 20	Jordan vs. South Korea
Jan 20	Bahrain vs. Malaysia
Jan 25	South Korea vs. Malaysia
Jan 25	Jordan vs. Bahrain

Group F

Team	GP	Win	Draw	Loss	GS	GA	Points
Saudi Arabia	0	0	0	0	0	0
Thailand	0	0	0	0	0	0
Kyrgyzstan	0	0	0	0	0	0
Oman	0	0	0	0	0	0

Date	Match
Jan 16	Thailand vs. Kyrgyzstan
Jan 16	Saudi Arabia vs. Oman
Jan 21	Oman vs. Thailand
Jan 21	Kyrgyzstan vs. Saudi Arabia
Jan 25	Saudi Arabia vs. Thailand
Jan 25	Kyrgyzstan vs. Oman

MORE: Everything you need to know about the Asian Cup

2023 AFC Asian Cup knockout stage schedule

Round of 16

Match No.	Date	Fixture
37	Jan. 28	1st Group B vs. 3rd Group A/C/D
38	Jan. 28	2nd Group A vs. 2nd Group C
39	Jan. 29	1st Group D vs. 3rd Group B/E/F
40	Jan. 29	1 Group A vs. 3rd Group C/D/E
41	Jan. 30	2nd Group B vs. 2nd Group F
42	Jan. 30	1st Group F vs. 2nd Group E
43	Jan. 31	1st Group E vs. 2nd Group D
44	Jan. 31	1st Group C vs. 3rd Group A/B/F

Quarterfinal

Match No.	Date	Fixture
QF. 1	Feb. 2	Winner of Match 38 vs. Winner of Match 39
QF. 2	Feb. 2	Winner of Match 37 vs. Winner of Match 42
QF. 3	Feb. 3	Winner of Match 44 vs. Winner of Match 43
QF. 4	Feb. 3	Winner of Match 40 vs. Winner of Match 41