October 17, (THEWILL) – The 2023 Asian Cup will be held in Qatar, the host nation for this year’s World Cup, which will make it the second major tournament to take place in Qatar within the next eight months.
The competition was scheduled to take place in China the next year, but earlier in 2022 it was announced that it will take place somewhere else because of the Chinese government’s stringent Zero-COVID policy.
The event, which will include 24 teams and take place between June 16 and July 16, 2023, has now been confirmed to take place in Qatar, as the Arab nation is preparing to host the World Cup in November and December.
It means the 2019 Asian Cup champion, Qatar, will have the opportunity to defend their title on home soil after winning the title in the United Arab Emirates three years ago.
Qatar’s hosting of the World Cup this year has been controversial, with specific criticism of the country’s human rights record. The competition begins on November 20 in Doha with Qatar playing Ecuador in the opening encounter.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
