AFC Asian Cup 2019: A guide to the stadiums hosting Asia’s premier football event
#1 Zayed Sports City Stadium
Location: Abu Dhabi
Founded: 1979
Capacity: 43000
Matches: 5 group stage games – UAE vs Bahrain, Iraq vs Vietnam, India vs UAE, Oman vs Japan, Saudi Arabia vs Qatar, Round of 16, quarterfinal, final
The Zayed Sports City Stadium, with a capacity of 43000, is the home ground of the UAE men’s national team and also happens to be the largest stadium in the country.
Founded in 1979, the Zayed Sports City Stadium will be the venue of both the opening game of the tournament between UAE and Bahrain, as well as the final.
It has hosted a number of memorable events in the past, including the 1996 AFC Asian Cup final, 2007 Gulf Cup of Nations final, and the 2017 FIFA Club World Cup final.
#2 Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium
Location: Al Ain
Founded: 2014
Capacity: 25965
Matches: 5 group stage games – Australia vs Jordan, Qatar vs Lebanon, Kyrgyzstan vs South Korea, UAE vs Thailand, Vietnam vs Yemen, Round of 16, quarterfinal, semifinal
The Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium was founded in 2014, meaning its the newest on this list. It also happens to be the most flamboyant, with state-of-the-art features.
The unique shape of the roof – it resembles a palm bowl – ensures pleasant conditions during matches.
Voted the 2014 Stadium of the Year, it also one of the venues being used for this year’s Club World Cup.
#3 Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium
Location: Abu Dhabi
Founded: 1979
Capacity: 42,056
Matches: 4 group stage games – Iran vs Yemen, Philippines vs China, Palestine vs Jordan, Oman vs Turkmenistan, Round of 16, quarterfinal, semifinal
The Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium is the second largest on this list, with a capacity of 42056, and is named after General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
A multipurpose stadium, it has hosted several List A matches in cricket, as well as the 2009 and 2010 FIFA Club World Cups.
The home ground of local team Al Jazira, the stadium was renovated ahead of the 2010 Club World Cup, with a marked increase in capacity – from 15,000 to close to 43000.
#4 Rashid Stadium
Location: Dubai
Founded: 1948
Capacity: 15000
Matches: 4 group stage games – Saudi Arabia vs North Korea, Palestine vs Australia, Turkmenistan vs Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan vs the Philippines, Round of 16
Among the smaller venues used for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, the Rashid Stadium was founded in 1948 and can seat up to 15000 people.
Generally used for football and rugby, it has hosted matches in the 2003 FIFA U-20 World Cup and 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup in the past.
#5 Al-Sharjah Stadium
Location: Sharjah
Capacity: 11073
Matches: 4 group stage games – Syria vs Palestine, Uzbekistan vs Oman, Yemen vs Iraq, India vs Bahrain, Lebanon vs North Korea, Round of 16
The smallest venue set to host a match at the AFC Asian Cup 2019, the Al-Sharjah Stadium is the home of Sharjah FC.
Often considered the ugly sister of the Sharjah Cricket Stadium famous for hosting many spectacular India-Pakistan encounters in the past, the Al-Sharjah Stadium too will interestingly enough witness an India match at the 2019 Asian Cup, with the Blue Tigers set to take Bahrain.
#6 Al-Maktoum Stadium
Location: Dubai
Founded: 1995
Capacity: 15000
Matches: 4 group stage games – South Korea vs the Philippines, Bahrain vs Thailand, Lebanon vs Saudi Arabia, Iran vs Iraq, Round of 16, quarterfinal
The Al-Maktoum Stadium has received a major upgrade ahead of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup and is now one of the most swanky venues to host a match.
The capacity of the stadium has been increased from 12000 to 15000 and it is set to have cladding made out of translucent panels shaped like diamonds. These have the ability to change color – from white to turquoise, representing the colors of Al Nasr, who play their home games at the venue.
The stadium was also set to host a Michael Jackson concert which was cancelled after allegations levelled at the pop star.
#7 Al-Nahyan Stadium
Location: Abu Dhabi
Founded: 1995
Capacity: 12000
Matches: 4 group stage games – Thailand vs India, Japan vs Turkmenistan, Vietnam vs Iran, South Korea vs China, Round of 16
Built in 1995, the Al-Nahyan Stadium has a capacity of just 12000, making it one of the smallest venues to host the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.
Renovations were conducted in 2006 to improve the infrastructure and technology of the stadium, however, it still remains one of the less popular stadiums in the country.
The Al-Nahyan Stadium has previously hosted a few matches during the group stages of the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship.
#8 Khalifa Bin Zayed International Stadium
Location: Al Ain
Founded: 1971
Capacity: 16000
Matches: 5 group stage games – China vs Kyrgyzstan, Jordan vs Syria, North Korea vs Qatar, Australia vs Syria, Japan vs Uzbekistan, Round of 16
Initially built in 1996 to seat just 12000 fans, the Khalifa Bin Zayed International Stadium was renovated and now holds up to 16000.
It serves as the home stadium of Al-Ain FC and has hosted many memorable events in the past, including the 1996 AFC Asian Cup and the 2003 FIFA Youth Championship.
With the development of the Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium, it has been relegated to the background, however, it will still host up to six matches in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.
AFC Asian Cup 2019: Most successful teams in tournament history
The AFC Asian Cup 2019 is about to kick off in January with teams across the continent vying for the right to be crowned the Champions of Asia.
The tournament is played once every 4 years and began in 1956, making it the second oldest continental tournament in the world, after Copa America. The winner of the Asia Cup automatically qualifies for the FIFA Confederations Cup.
This time around, the tournament will feature 24 teams instead of the usual 16, and will be held in the United Arab Emirates from January 5 to February 1 2019.
The teams involved in the tournament are: UAE, Australia, Thailand, Syria, India, Palestine, Bahrain, Jordan, South Korea, Iran, China, Iraq, Philippines, Vietnam, Kyrgyzstan, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Qatar, Uzbekistan, Lebanon, Oman, North Korea and Turkmenistan.
However, the favourites to win will likely emerge from the pool of usual suspects; teams that have a stellar history of doing well in the tournament.
Teams like Japan, Saudi Arabia, Iran and South Korea. Defending champions Australia are also one of the stronger outfits in the tournament.
Japan has won the tournament a whooping 4 times, in 1992, 2000, 2004 and 2011. Saudi Arabia and Iran follow closely with 3 victories apiece. Saudi Arabia had an extremely successful little spell when they won it in 1984,’88 and ’96. Iran’s victories weren’t quite as recent though, as they enjoyed a period of dominance in the late ’60s, early ’70s, winning the Cup successively in 1968, ’72 and ’76.
Defending Champions Australia, who won it in 2015 obviously have a strong shout to repeat their feat while Vietnam, who won the recently concluded AFF Suzuki Cup, will be approaching the tournament with all the momentum in the world.
Here is a detailed list of countries who have been successful in the tournament:
Team
Champions
2nd Place
3rd Place
Australia
1 time (2015)
1 time (2011)
–
China PR
–
2 times (1984, 2004)
2 times (1976, 1992)
Chinese Taipei
–
–
1 time (1960)
Hong Kong
–
–
1 time (1956)
India
–
1 time (1964)
–
Iran
3 times (1968, 1972, 1976)
–
4 times (1980, 1988, 1996, 2004)
Iraq
1 time (2007)
–
–
Israel
1 time (1964)
2 times (1956, 1960)
1 time (1968)
Japan
4 times (1992, 2000, 2004, 2011)
–
–
Kuwait
1 time (1980)
1 time (1976)
1 time (1984)
Myanmar
–
1 time (1968)
–
Saudi Arabia
3 times (1984, 1988, 1996)
3 times (1992, 2000, 2007)
–
South Korea
2 times (1956, 1960)
4 times (1972, 1980, 1988, 2015)
4 times (1964, 2000, 2007, 2011)
Thailand
–
–
1 time (1972)
United Arab Emirates
–
1 time (1996)
1 time (2015)
And here are the 5 most successful teams in AFC Asia Cup history, ranked!
#5 Australia
The defending Champions Australia only entered the Asia Cup in 2007, and have since reached the finals twice in two tournaments, finishing second in 2011 and winning in 2015.
Despite being a relatively new entrant, Australia legitimately have the chance to dominate the tournament in the years to come as a number of their players play in Europe’s best leagues.
The likes of Aaron Mooy, Tom Rogic, Robbie Kruse and Mat Ryan are all class players and will spear head the country’s hopes in the 2019 edition of the tournament.
#4 South Korea
South Korea have been another dominant presence in the Asian Cup picture, winning the Championship twice but also being there and thereabouts on 8 other occasions. They’ve reached the finals 6 times – more than any other team in the tournament and tied with Saudi Arabia – and also finished third on 4 occasions.
Leading their charge this time around would be Tottenham stars Son Heung-min, who is easily one of the best attackers in the Premier League. However, he will only link up with the squad after their first two group games due to Tottenham commitments.
#3 Iran
Iran’s last Asia Cup victory came 43 years ago. But under the tutelage of former Real Madrid manager and Manchester United assistant manager Carlos Queiroz, they are a formidable side even now.
Iran may not have been in the winners column of late, but they have shows glimpses of rediscovering former glory with courageous showings as recent as in 2004, finishing 3rd in the tournament.
They may not appear to be favourites on paper, but like England when it comes to the World Cup, you can never write off the historical impetus that Iran has in the Asia Cup tournament.
#2 Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia could have easily taken over from Japan as the most successful outfit in Asia Cup history if only they had converted any one of their three second place finishes into a winner’s medal.
From 1984 till 2000, they were hands down the most dominant team in the continent, winning it 3 times and finishing runners up twice in 5 consecutive tournaments.
They last reached a final in 2007, but have faded in prominence since as Japan replaced them as the powerhouse in Asian football.
#1 Japan
That Japan have been the most successful team in Asian Cup history doesn’t surprise much, as stars like Junichi Inamoto, Shunsuke Nakamura and Hidetoshi Nakata broke into worldwide consciousness with their football skills and marketability.
Stars like Keisuke Honda, Shinji Okazaki and Shinji Kagawa picked up where they left off, playing at a really high level in some of the best teams in Europe.
Little wonder then that Japan has won the Asia Cup 4 times, thrice within the last two decades.
However, heading into the AFC Asia Cup 2019, none of the marquee names will be around barring Southampton defender Maya Yoshida and Newcastle attacker Yoshinori Muto.
AFC Asian Cup 2019: Most India players yet to receive new kits
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) recently signed a five-year contract with sports apparel brand Six5Six, a deal facilitated by IMG-Reliance-owned Football Sports Development Ltd (FSDL) - the commercial partner of AIFF.
But the Gurgaon-based brand has failed to deliver training and match-day kits to the players before they left for Abu Dhabi and the team has been using kits of their erstwhile sponsors, sources close to Goal have confirmed.
The Indian team was spotted donning the Nike kits when they landed in UAE and things have not yet progressed in the right direction.
It is believed that the new training gears are set to bear the squad numbers of the players. However, the team is yet to receive them.
The team management hopes that the new set of jerseys will be available to all players before the friendly with Oman which is scheduled for December 27. Also, the kit is expected to be flown out in batches and not all at once.
Six5Six is supposed to provide footwear and equipment to age-specific teams as well which includes AIFF's developmental side Indian Arrows. But it is unlikely that the team will get the new jerseys and training equipment in the ongoing I-League and hence will continue to use the Nike kits.
AIFF ended its 12-year association with Nike earlier this year after the American sports brand refused to pay the governing body for being the official kit partner. Whereas, Six5Six has agreed to pay AIFF Rs 1.5-2 crore annually.
The company is also the official kit sponsor for Indian Super League (ISL) sides Kerala Blasters and FC Pune City.
A LOOK BACK AT INDIA’S HISTORY IN AFC ASIAN CUP
The Indian Football team is all set to take part in the 17th edition of 2019 AFC Asian Cup in UAE. The Blue Tigers will face Thailand in their first game on January 6th in Abu Dhabi. We take a look at India’s performance in the previous editions of the prestigious tournament.
The Blue Tigers have took part in the Asian Cup three times and their best result was finishing second in 1964 AFC Asian Cup in Israel.
http://www.indianfootballnetwork.com/blog/2018/12/24/a-look-back-at-indias-history-in-afc-asian-cup/
A LOOK BACK AT INDIA’S HISTORY IN AFC ASIAN CUP
The Indian Football team is all set to take part in the 17th edition of 2019 AFC Asian Cup in UAE. The Blue Tigers will face Thailand in their first game on January 6th in Abu Dhabi. We take a look at India’s performance in the previous editions of the prestigious tournament.
The Blue Tigers have took part in the Asian Cup three times and their best result was finishing second in 1964 AFC Asian Cup in Israel.
http://www.indianfootballnetwork.com/blog/2018/12/24/a-look-back-at-indias-history-in-afc-asian-cup/
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AFC Asian Cup 2019: A guide to the stadiums hosting Asia’s premier football event
#1 Zayed Sports City Stadium
Location: Abu Dhabi
Founded: 1979
Capacity: 43000
Matches: 5 group stage games – UAE vs Bahrain, Iraq vs Vietnam, India vs UAE, Oman vs Japan, Saudi Arabia vs Qatar, Round of 16, quarterfinal, final
The Zayed Sports City Stadium, with a capacity of 43000, is the home ground of the UAE men’s national team and also happens to be the largest stadium in the country.
Founded in 1979, the Zayed Sports City Stadium will be the venue of both the opening game of the tournament between UAE and Bahrain, as well as the final.
It has hosted a number of memorable events in the past, including the 1996 AFC Asian Cup final, 2007 Gulf Cup of Nations final, and the 2017 FIFA Club World Cup final.
#2 Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium
Location: Al Ain
Founded: 2014
Capacity: 25965
Matches: 5 group stage games – Australia vs Jordan, Qatar vs Lebanon, Kyrgyzstan vs South Korea, UAE vs Thailand, Vietnam vs Yemen, Round of 16, quarterfinal, semifinal
The Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium was founded in 2014, meaning its the newest on this list. It also happens to be the most flamboyant, with state-of-the-art features.
The unique shape of the roof – it resembles a palm bowl – ensures pleasant conditions during matches.
Voted the 2014 Stadium of the Year, it also one of the venues being used for this year’s Club World Cup.
#3 Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium
Location: Abu Dhabi
Founded: 1979
Capacity: 42,056
Matches: 4 group stage games – Iran vs Yemen, Philippines vs China, Palestine vs Jordan, Oman vs Turkmenistan, Round of 16, quarterfinal, semifinal
The Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium is the second largest on this list, with a capacity of 42056, and is named after General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
A multipurpose stadium, it has hosted several List A matches in cricket, as well as the 2009 and 2010 FIFA Club World Cups.
The home ground of local team Al Jazira, the stadium was renovated ahead of the 2010 Club World Cup, with a marked increase in capacity – from 15,000 to close to 43000.
#4 Rashid Stadium
Location: Dubai
Founded: 1948
Capacity: 15000
Matches: 4 group stage games – Saudi Arabia vs North Korea, Palestine vs Australia, Turkmenistan vs Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan vs the Philippines, Round of 16
Among the smaller venues used for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, the Rashid Stadium was founded in 1948 and can seat up to 15000 people.
Generally used for football and rugby, it has hosted matches in the 2003 FIFA U-20 World Cup and 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup in the past.
#5 Al-Sharjah Stadium
Location: Sharjah
Capacity: 11073
Matches: 4 group stage games – Syria vs Palestine, Uzbekistan vs Oman, Yemen vs Iraq, India vs Bahrain, Lebanon vs North Korea, Round of 16
The smallest venue set to host a match at the AFC Asian Cup 2019, the Al-Sharjah Stadium is the home of Sharjah FC.
Often considered the ugly sister of the Sharjah Cricket Stadium famous for hosting many spectacular India-Pakistan encounters in the past, the Al-Sharjah Stadium too will interestingly enough witness an India match at the 2019 Asian Cup, with the Blue Tigers set to take Bahrain.
#6 Al-Maktoum Stadium
Location: Dubai
Founded: 1995
Capacity: 15000
Matches: 4 group stage games – South Korea vs the Philippines, Bahrain vs Thailand, Lebanon vs Saudi Arabia, Iran vs Iraq, Round of 16, quarterfinal
The Al-Maktoum Stadium has received a major upgrade ahead of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup and is now one of the most swanky venues to host a match.
The capacity of the stadium has been increased from 12000 to 15000 and it is set to have cladding made out of translucent panels shaped like diamonds. These have the ability to change color – from white to turquoise, representing the colors of Al Nasr, who play their home games at the venue.
The stadium was also set to host a Michael Jackson concert which was cancelled after allegations levelled at the pop star.
#7 Al-Nahyan Stadium
Location: Abu Dhabi
Founded: 1995
Capacity: 12000
Matches: 4 group stage games – Thailand vs India, Japan vs Turkmenistan, Vietnam vs Iran, South Korea vs China, Round of 16
Built in 1995, the Al-Nahyan Stadium has a capacity of just 12000, making it one of the smallest venues to host the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.
Renovations were conducted in 2006 to improve the infrastructure and technology of the stadium, however, it still remains one of the less popular stadiums in the country.
The Al-Nahyan Stadium has previously hosted a few matches during the group stages of the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship.
#8 Khalifa Bin Zayed International Stadium
Location: Al Ain
Founded: 1971
Capacity: 16000
Matches: 5 group stage games – China vs Kyrgyzstan, Jordan vs Syria, North Korea vs Qatar, Australia vs Syria, Japan vs Uzbekistan, Round of 16
Initially built in 1996 to seat just 12000 fans, the Khalifa Bin Zayed International Stadium was renovated and now holds up to 16000.
It serves as the home stadium of Al-Ain FC and has hosted many memorable events in the past, including the 1996 AFC Asian Cup and the 2003 FIFA Youth Championship.
With the development of the Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium, it has been relegated to the background, however, it will still host up to six matches in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.
AFC Asian Cup 2019: Most successful teams in tournament history
The AFC Asian Cup 2019 is about to kick off in January with teams across the continent vying for the right to be crowned the Champions of Asia.
The tournament is played once every 4 years and began in 1956, making it the second oldest continental tournament in the world, after Copa America. The winner of the Asia Cup automatically qualifies for the FIFA Confederations Cup.
This time around, the tournament will feature 24 teams instead of the usual 16, and will be held in the United Arab Emirates from January 5 to February 1 2019.
The teams involved in the tournament are: UAE, Australia, Thailand, Syria, India, Palestine, Bahrain, Jordan, South Korea, Iran, China, Iraq, Philippines, Vietnam, Kyrgyzstan, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Qatar, Uzbekistan, Lebanon, Oman, North Korea and Turkmenistan.
However, the favourites to win will likely emerge from the pool of usual suspects; teams that have a stellar history of doing well in the tournament.
Teams like Japan, Saudi Arabia, Iran and South Korea. Defending champions Australia are also one of the stronger outfits in the tournament.
Japan has won the tournament a whooping 4 times, in 1992, 2000, 2004 and 2011. Saudi Arabia and Iran follow closely with 3 victories apiece. Saudi Arabia had an extremely successful little spell when they won it in 1984,’88 and ’96. Iran’s victories weren’t quite as recent though, as they enjoyed a period of dominance in the late ’60s, early ’70s, winning the Cup successively in 1968, ’72 and ’76.
Defending Champions Australia, who won it in 2015 obviously have a strong shout to repeat their feat while Vietnam, who won the recently concluded AFF Suzuki Cup, will be approaching the tournament with all the momentum in the world.
Here is a detailed list of countries who have been successful in the tournament:
And here are the 5 most successful teams in AFC Asia Cup history, ranked!
#5 Australia
The defending Champions Australia only entered the Asia Cup in 2007, and have since reached the finals twice in two tournaments, finishing second in 2011 and winning in 2015.
Despite being a relatively new entrant, Australia legitimately have the chance to dominate the tournament in the years to come as a number of their players play in Europe’s best leagues.
The likes of Aaron Mooy, Tom Rogic, Robbie Kruse and Mat Ryan are all class players and will spear head the country’s hopes in the 2019 edition of the tournament.
#4 South Korea
South Korea have been another dominant presence in the Asian Cup picture, winning the Championship twice but also being there and thereabouts on 8 other occasions. They’ve reached the finals 6 times – more than any other team in the tournament and tied with Saudi Arabia – and also finished third on 4 occasions.
Leading their charge this time around would be Tottenham stars Son Heung-min, who is easily one of the best attackers in the Premier League. However, he will only link up with the squad after their first two group games due to Tottenham commitments.
#3 Iran
Iran’s last Asia Cup victory came 43 years ago. But under the tutelage of former Real Madrid manager and Manchester United assistant manager Carlos Queiroz, they are a formidable side even now.
Iran may not have been in the winners column of late, but they have shows glimpses of rediscovering former glory with courageous showings as recent as in 2004, finishing 3rd in the tournament.
They may not appear to be favourites on paper, but like England when it comes to the World Cup, you can never write off the historical impetus that Iran has in the Asia Cup tournament.
#2 Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia could have easily taken over from Japan as the most successful outfit in Asia Cup history if only they had converted any one of their three second place finishes into a winner’s medal.
From 1984 till 2000, they were hands down the most dominant team in the continent, winning it 3 times and finishing runners up twice in 5 consecutive tournaments.
They last reached a final in 2007, but have faded in prominence since as Japan replaced them as the powerhouse in Asian football.
#1 Japan
That Japan have been the most successful team in Asian Cup history doesn’t surprise much, as stars like Junichi Inamoto, Shunsuke Nakamura and Hidetoshi Nakata broke into worldwide consciousness with their football skills and marketability.
Stars like Keisuke Honda, Shinji Okazaki and Shinji Kagawa picked up where they left off, playing at a really high level in some of the best teams in Europe.
Little wonder then that Japan has won the Asia Cup 4 times, thrice within the last two decades.
However, heading into the AFC Asia Cup 2019, none of the marquee names will be around barring Southampton defender Maya Yoshida and Newcastle attacker Yoshinori Muto.
AFC Asian Cup 2019: Most India players yet to receive new kits
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) recently signed a five-year contract with sports apparel brand Six5Six, a deal facilitated by IMG-Reliance-owned Football Sports Development Ltd (FSDL) - the commercial partner of AIFF.
But the Gurgaon-based brand has failed to deliver training and match-day kits to the players before they left for Abu Dhabi and the team has been using kits of their erstwhile sponsors, sources close to Goal have confirmed.
The Indian team was spotted donning the Nike kits when they landed in UAE and things have not yet progressed in the right direction.It is believed that the new training gears are set to bear the squad numbers of the players. However, the team is yet to receive them.
The team management hopes that the new set of jerseys will be available to all players before the friendly with Oman which is scheduled for December 27. Also, the kit is expected to be flown out in batches and not all at once.
Six5Six is supposed to provide footwear and equipment to age-specific teams as well which includes AIFF's developmental side Indian Arrows. But it is unlikely that the team will get the new jerseys and training equipment in the ongoing I-League and hence will continue to use the Nike kits.
AIFF ended its 12-year association with Nike earlier this year after the American sports brand refused to pay the governing body for being the official kit partner. Whereas, Six5Six has agreed to pay AIFF Rs 1.5-2 crore annually.
The company is also the official kit sponsor for Indian Super League (ISL) sides Kerala Blasters and FC Pune City.
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